To say that the monarch has absolute power and is beyond reproach goes against Islam, says PAS' Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
 
Neither is a ruler "holy", and "incapable of committing a mistake (maksum)".
 
In a commentary , he said that in Islam, the only entity with absolute power is Allah.
 
"Taking any figure as a leader who is beyond reproach, due to the leaders' purported incapability of committing a mistake, is a grave transgression which needs to be erased.
 
"Malay culture teaches us the words of Hang Jebat - “ Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah ” ("A just ruler is obeyed, a cruel ruler is defied") but sadly this saying has been associated with 'derhaka' (defiance or treason)," he said.

'For the greater good'

 
He added that in Islam, leader - be it a king, prime minister or president is an "apparatus" to the end goal of upholding justice. 
 
He further said that correcting that "apparatus" cannot be deemed "unpatriotic" or "treasonous".
 
Citing a hadith (sayings of the Prophet), he said Prophet Muhammad once said that the best way to help a cruel man is to stop him from committing cruelty.
 
"Unlike other doctrines which believe that criticism against the monarchy is treasonous, Islam sees criticism against a king as a sign of love, so as to save the leader and for the greater good," he said.
 
Mujahid’s ( right ) remarks come after several people, including law associate professor Azmi Sharom, were charged with sedition for remarks on or against the monarchy. 
 
Azmi had commented in an article on the ongoing Selangor menteri besar crisis by citing the Perak constitutional crisis.

The police have launched a dragnet under the Sedition Act, where 17 have been charged, including opposition politicians, students and preachers.

Student Ali Abdul Jalil, preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin and PAS' Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad were charged with sedition over alleged remarks made against the monarchy.

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