KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's King, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, has offered to reduce his allowance and emoluments by 10 per cent until the end of his five-year reign ends in 2021.

This followed the recent move by Malaysia's federal ministers led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to take a 10 per cent pay cut, in a symbolic gesture to help reduce the country's debt which totals RM1 trillion (S$336 billion).

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The Pakatan Harapan government on May 30 also set up a Tabung Harapan Malaysia - Hope Fund Malaysia - to allow the public to channel donations to help reduce the debt burden, which it blames on careless spending by the ousted Barisan Nasional government.

The Tabung Harapan has collected RM56 million by early afternoon yesterday.

"His Majesty was touched and appreciates the efforts of Malaysians who have donated to the Tabung Harapan," Comptroller of the Royal Household Wan Ahmad Dahlan Haji Ab Aziz said in a statement on Monday (June 11).

"His Majesty wants to be with the people in fulfilling their responsibilities.

"His Majesty has decreed and consented that his allowance and emoluments be reduced by 10 percent throughout his reign as Agong until 2021," Datuk Wan Ahmad added.

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He did not reveal how much he gets in allowance and emoluments, which are paid by the federal government.

In addition, the ruler has also decreed that he would not be hosting the annual Hari Raya Open House this year, as he preferred that the budget allocated for it should be channelled to help the needy.

Malaysia's nine hereditary Malay rulers take turns every five years to become the Agong or King, the country's titular head of state.