King, Queen forgo Royal Emoluments for six months

KUALA LUMPUR: Yang diPertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin AlMustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have decided to forgo their Royal Emoluments for six months from March.

Comptroller of the Royal Household for Istana Negara Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said this was to ease the burden of the government in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, and also in line with the Cabinet’s decision to cut the prime minister, ministers and deputy ministers’ salaries for two months with the money to be channelled to the Covid-19 Fund.

“This reflects the concern of Their Majesties on the latest developments of the pandemic and the financial situation of the country,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Ahmad Fadil said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had been informed of the matter.

Meanwhile, in conjunction with the Doctors’ Day celebration on Monday, AlSultan Abdullah and Tunku Azizah expressed their appreciation to doctors and healthcare staff, especially the frontliners on their sacrifices in their efforts to contain the pandemic.

“Al-Sultan Abdullah also commended the Malaysian government, the Health Ministry and other related government agencies on the recognition given by an international finance services firm recently on the handling of Covid-19 in Malaysia,” he said.

Ahmad Fadil said the King also hoped that people would continue to be with both Their Majesties, in praying for the mercy of Allah SWT for His blessings and for the pandemic to end soon.