The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Abdullah had assented to the request to impose the states of emergency within these two electorates in response to a third wave of infections, which had risen to a total of 86,000 cases and 422 deaths by 16 December.

[4] On 12 January 2021, Sultan Abdullah of Pahang issued a federal proclamation of emergency until at least 1 August 2021 to curb the spread of COVID-19 and in response to a political crisis involving Prime Minister Muhyiddin's Perikatan Nasional government.

Under this proclamation of emergency, parliament and elections were suspended while the Malaysian government was empowered to introduce laws without parliamentary debate and voting.

[11][12] Sultan Abdullah ordered and gave his consent to the de facto Minister of Law Takiyuddin Hassan on 24 July to present and discuss the proposal to revoke all emergency ordinances in parliament during a virtual meeting with the Attorney General of Malaysia, Idrus Harun.

[14] Opposition MPs had urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Azhar Azizan Harun on 27 July 2021, to compel the government minister to explain to the house its sudden announcement on the revocation of the EO.