November 23, 2009 22:09 PM

Institution Of Rulers Important As Power Stabilisers

SHAH ALAM, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- The sovereignty of the institution of royal rulers in Malaysia should be preserved as it plays an important role as a power stabiliser.

Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim said considering that Malaysian politics often showed instability, the public would most probably look up to other quarters for power balancing.

He said this in his working paper titled, "The Sovereignty of the Rulers and Their Role in A Multiracial Country" at a discourse on 'Sovereignty of Rulers - A Heritage That Must Be Protected' officiated by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, here, Monday.

"The rulers need to be proactive, not to meddle and side with any party, but to ensure that the three branches of the government -- judiciary, legislature and executive -- are not only efficient but also do not interfere in each other's affairs."

He said according to British thinking in the 19th century, a ruler was very important for the community because "without a ruler, the people will just be a mob".



"In the complex Malaysian political system, only the rulers are free from having to identify themselves with any section of society, while times have changed as the rulers are no longer seen as protectors of the Malays only.

"In a society where the members are often in conflict over certain matters, only the rulers are above all these to ensure the society remains within the boundary of civility."

Khoo said England was one country where the ruler was the embodiment of the national identity and revered symbol of the monarchy and unity, but this was not achieved within a short time.

Another speaker, lawyer Datuk Salehuddin Saidin, said the institution of rulers was established as a check-and-balance for the country's leaders if their actions did not meet the people's aspirations or were not in accordance with the law.

"This institution should remain although there are those who feel that the country already has many leaders who are chosen by the people."



Salehuddin said the political situation in Malaysia was rather unique as there were three major races; the Malays, Chinese and Indians who fought for their own communal rights provided under the law.

"If the republic system where the president is elected by the people is practised in Malaysia, problems will arise if there are ethnocentic leaders who incite feelings of dissatisfaction towards the other races.

"However, in a constitutional monarchy system, our institution of rulers will not collapse in the event of a conflict as accession of the rulers is hereditary, unlike the president's position in a republic."

Prof Datuk Dr Ramlah Adam from Universiti Teknologi MARA also said that the royal rulers could serve as power stabilisers as they were always neutral unlike political leaders who had to uphold their own party's ideology and struggles.

-- BERNAMA

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