Royal Institution Fails If It Can Be Changed Indiscriminately - PM Anwar

MELAKA, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- The royal institution will fail if rulers can be ‘changed by the month’ and decisions are not made in accordance with the law and Constitution, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

He said political interference that was not in line with the wishes of certain quarters had resulted in instability within the institution.

“In Negeri Sembilan, those who make a lot of noise about the Malay Rulers, Malay Rulers, Malay Rulers, but when a decision does not go their way, they want to remove that Malay Ruler... I cannot accept this. We follow the Constitution and law.

“If we can change this Ruler from month to month, the royal system will fail. That is why the King understands that the existing Ruler is legitimate. This means following the process as provided for in the Constitution and the law.

“It appears less stable because there are politicians who want to turn it into an issue. They want the Ruler to follow them. The Ruler must follow the Constitution. The Ruler should not follow politicians, otherwise the state will be ruined,” he said when speaking at the opening ceremony of the 41st Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Kota Syahbandar here tonight.

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and Melaka State Secretary Datuk Salhah Salleh were also present at the event.

The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), in a previous statement, said the proclamation concerning the position of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, dated April 19, was invalid as it did not comply with the mandatory requirements of Article 10 of the Constitution of the State of Negeri Sembilan (UUTKNS) 1959.

The AGC also said that Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim and the State Executive Council had no unilateral power to terminate or vacate the position of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

Meanwhile, the Negeri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) once again affirmed that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and Chairman of the DKU.

-- BERNAMA