KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has come out in support of a petition by the Committee for the Cessation of State of Emergency which appealed for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to end the emergency.

Dr Mahathir hoped the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers can consider an appeal made in order to defend our beloved country.

"We Malaysians, humbly wish to appeal to His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and His Highnesses The Malay Rulers to consider this appeal in order to defend our beloved country," said the Langkawi Member of Parliament in a statement shared on his social media account.

Earlier, the Committee for the Cessation of State of Emergency led by Shah Alam Member of Parliament Khalid Samad launched a petition to collect signatures to appeal for an end to the emergency.

Khalid explained that the committee he led did not intend to invite the people to take to the streets like in other countries.

Instead, he said, the committee only appealed to concerned citizens to put their signatures on their website.