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A10 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 8 January 2019

Malaysia royals to pick new king Jan. 24 after abdication

By EILEEN NG and Malay tradition.
Associated Press Sultan Muhammad V was
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia installed as king in Decem-
(AP) — Malaysia’s royal ber 2016. He was one of
families will meet on Jan. Malaysia’s youngest consti-
24 to pick a new king after tutional monarchs and has
Sultan Muhammad V abdi- a love for extreme sports.
cated unexpectedly after Reports in Russian and Brit-
just two years on the throne, ish media and on social
an official said Monday. media featured photos of
The 49-year-old ruler re- his wedding with a former
signed Sunday as Malay- Miss Moscow that report-
sia’s 15th king, marking the edly took place in Moscow.
first abdication in the na- Neither the sultan, the pal-
tion’s history and cutting ace nor the government
short his five-year term. No had officially confirmed the
reason was given, but the wedding.
move came after he re- Speculation that Sultan
portedly married a 25-year- Muhammad V would step
old former Russian beauty down emerged last week,
queen in November while shortly after he returned
on medical leave. from a two-month leave,
Keeper of the Ruler’s Seal, but Mahathir had said Fri-
Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, In this July 17, 2018, file photo, Malaysian King Sultan Muhammad V salutes during the national day that he was unaware
said the Council of Rulers anthem at the opening of the 14th parliament session at the Parliament house in Kuala Lumpur, of any abdication plans.
held a meeting Monday Malaysia. National police chief Mo-
and set Jan. 24 to elect a Associated Press hamad Fuzi Harun warned
new king. He said in a state- tational monarchy under a he hoped it would be done their legal immunity. the public Monday not to
ment that the new king unique system maintained quickly. The monarch’s role is large- speculate on Sultan Mu-
would be sworn in on Jan. since the country’s inde- During his first stint as prime ly ceremonial, since admin- hammad V’s abdication.
31. pendence from Britain in minister for 22 years until his istrative power is vested in He was quoted as saying
The council comprises nine 1957. retirement in 2003, Maha- the prime minister and par- by local media that po-
hereditary state rulers who Prime Minister Mahathir Mo- thir pushed through consti- liament. But the monarch lice had received several
take turns as Malaysia’s hamad said earlier Mon- tutional amendments that is highly regarded, particu- reports of provocative
king for five-year terms. day that it was up to the stripped the sultans’ power larly among the ethnic Ma- statements being made
Malaysia is the only country Council of Rulers to pick the to veto state and federal lay Muslim majority, as the on social media and were
in the world to have a ro- new king, but added that legislation, and curbed supreme upholder of Islam investigating.q

Gabon government thwarts coup attempt, 2 plotters dead

By YVES LAURENT GOMA man said. A curfew has Gabon, which is sub-Saha-
Associated Press been imposed over the ran Africa’s third-largest oil
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — capital, Libreville, and the producer, has been ruled
Gabon’s government has internet was cut. The city on for more than half a centu-
retained control of the the Atlantic Ocean coast ry by Bongo and his father,
West African country after was being patrolled by mili- Omar, who died in 2009.
an attempted military coup tary tanks and armed ve- Critics have accused the
early Monday in which two hicles. family of profiting from the
plotters were killed, the The African Union affirmed country’s natural resources
government said. its support for the Bongo while not investing enough
Five army officers who took government. in basic services for the
over state radio in the coup “The African Union strongly population of more than 2
attempt have been arrest- condemns the coup at- million. About one-third of
ed, government spokes- tempt this morning in Ga- the population lives below
man Guy-Betrand Map- In this image from TV, a soldier who identified himself as Lt. bon,” the head of the Af- the poverty line, according
angou, told Radio France Obiang Ondo Kelly, commander of the Republican Guard, reads rican Union Commission, to the World Bank.
International. a statement on state television broadcast from Libreville, saying Moussa Faki Mahamat, In his brief New Year’s ad-
Authorities regained con- the military has seized control of the government, Monday Jan. said on Twitter. “I reaffirm dress, the 59-year-old Bon-
trol of state broadcasting 7, 2019. the AU’s rejection of all an- go declared that the coun-
offices and a major thor- Associated Press ti-constitutional change.” try was “indivisible” and
oughfare in the capital, statement reported by RFI. He was flanked by two oth- Bongo, in power since 2009, acknowledged his health
Libreville, which were the Earlier Monday a soldier er soldiers holding weap- has been out of the coun- problems without giving
only areas taken over by who identified himself as Lt. ons; all were dressed in try since October amid re- details. “A difficult period,”
the officers, the spokesman Obiang Ondo Kelly, com- camouflage uniforms and ports that he had a stroke. he called it, and a chal-
said. mander of the Republican green berets. He recently addressed the lenge that he surmounted
Two of the coup partici- Guard, read out a state- Those soldiers have been country in a New Year’s “thanks to God.” He prom-
pants were killed when se- ment saying the military taken into custody and message that was filmed ised to put all of his efforts
curity forces took over and had seized control of Ga- President Ali Bongo’s gov- in Morocco, where he has into improving the daily
freed some hostages, ac- bon’s government in order ernment remains in control, been receiving medical quality of life for Gabon’s
cording to a presidential to “restore democracy.” the government spokes- treatment. people.q