THE Malay rulers were briefed on the Covid-19 situation in the country yesterday by the Health Ministry, said Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. 

“I was summoned to the palace to address the progress and latest development on the Covid-19 situation in the country at a meeting with the Malay rulers that was chaired by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. 

“In the discussion, I shared our (Ministry of Health) journey from December (2019) to date, which includes the latest development as well as duration of our work in the field,” he said at a press conference today in Putrajaya to explain why he could not hold his usual media briefing yesterday.

The king convened the Conference of Rulers yesterday to deliberate on Putrajaya request for emergency powers purportedly to allow it to better able to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong eventually rejected Putrajaya’s request.  

Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said Al-Sultan Abdullah is of the view the federal government’s measures to fight the pandemic have been effective.

“His Highness has confidence in the government under the leadership of the prime minister to continue implementing policies and enforcement action to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

“Al-Sultan Abdullah is of the view there is no need at the present time to declare an emergency in the country or any other parts of Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

Noor Hisham said he was asked about Covid-19 vaccines in the meeting, to which he said that he has not gotten a complete report on the latest research. 

“So, efforts have been made by the Health Ministry together with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to look at the development of the vaccine and also the procurement of the vaccine,” he said. 

Malaysia once again breached the four-digit mark today with a new record of 1,240 cases. 

Of the new cases, Sabah accounted for the bulk of infections, with the state recording 927 or 74.8% of today’s cases.

Sabah has now recorded the highest daily Covid-19 cases for 20 consecutive days, with the caseload in the state since the onset of the pandemic now standing at 12,745. – October 26, 2020.