Sultan listens to MB? Dream on, says Zaid
Today, if any menteri besar or exco member claims that the Malay ruler acts on his or her advice, "you can tell them to dream on", said former minister Zaid Ibrahim.
Although the words "acting on advice of the menteri besar (or prime minister)" are used in the state and federal constitutions, he added the practice is actually the other way around.
Today, if any menteri besar or exco member claims that the Malay ruler acts on his or her advice, "you can tell them to dream on", said former minister Zaid Ibrahim.
Although the words "acting on advice of the menteri besar (or prime minister)" are used in the state and federal constitutions, he added the practice is actually the other way around.
"The ruler now decides things and it is wishful thinking for any menteri besar to believe otherwise. Just look at what has happened in Terengganu, Perak, Perlis, and Kelantan.
"After the Perak case, it is also clear that the position of menteri besar is very much dependent on the pleasure of his highness both in terms of appointment and removal," he said.
In the early days of Independence, Zaid said it was more straightforward as Malaysia adopted and observed the Westminster model in totality.
For example, he added, any appointment of a menteri besar or state exco member was always dependent on the decision of the party leader whose party won the most seats in the assembly.
"The menteri besar and chief minister had real power and it was unheard of that any Malay ruler could exercise direct influence on public policy of any kind," he noted in his blog.
Zaid was referring to the opposition coming from Umno with regard to the Housing and Real Property Bill, passed by the Johor state assembly today, with amendments to limit the sultan’s role.
The Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Noordin also explained that the sultan would act on the menteri besar’s advice.
The 'funny Malays'
Meanwhile, Zaid also claimed that Umno consisted of a band of rib ticklers, who switched agendas when it suited them.
Commenting on the New Sunday Times headline on the Johor bill issue, which read "Follow the constitution", the ex-minister said it sounded desperate and hollow.
"This is because those making the plea were the ones responsible for giving special meaning to the provisions of the constitution whenever it suited them. Now they reap what they have sown.
"You see, Umno Malays are funny people: when it suits them or their political agenda, they will declare support for the overriding power of the Malay rulers. They will say that our constitution is 'unique'.
"They will say that the Malay rulers have special powers to protect the Malays and Islam. They do not want us lawyers to interpret the constitution in the same way as is done in modern constitutional democracies," he added.
But when the rulers start exercising these real powers, which can deprive them of their businesses, Zaid remarked that the Umno Malays would cry foul.
Lumping Perkasa and Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) into the same category as Umno, he said these "funny Malays" are willing to sacrifice the institutions of real democracy, such as the Westminster model of constitutional monarchy, for short-term political gains.
Zaid also recalled Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (left) as saying that the golden years of the Malay empire and Malay intellectualism began way back in the 13th century.
"That being the case, the Malay sultanates have done more for the Malays over the past 700 years than Umno, which was born in 1946.
"This is why Perkasa and Umno leaders in Johor are hopping mad and are calling for the bill to be removed or postponed," he added.
Zaid is also certain that other Malay rulers would follow Johor's example and respond accordingly to assert their power.
"They are already quietly involved in large businesses and are entrenched in sports such as football.
"I suggest that they widen their areas of interest to match Umno's - after all, they can easily match Umno's business skills.
"Indeed, the Malays must not be too concerned about trusting the Malay rulers more than Umno," he said.
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