COMMENT There is no doubt about it that the statement issued by the Conference of Malay Rulers was targeted at Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the entire cabinet.

The ‘leaders’ referred to in the decree could not have meant any opposition leader or member of the Pakatan state government.

This is because the former does not have any position of power and in the case of the latter, the sultan of the individual state would have sounded out his displeasure directly to the menteri besar.

By now, Najib and his cabinet ministers should realise who the royal rebuke is targeted at. Their actions have all this while been observed by the rulers themselves. In my opinion, Najib is checkmated.

I fully agree with veteran newsman Kadir Jasin that this is an unusual decree , and must have been issued due to the pressing need to sound out their royal disapproval for the way things are being managed of late under Najib.

Their urging adhere to the five principles of the Rukunegara makes it clear for all that in Malaysia, apart from Belief in God, loyalty is to the Agong and the Country - and that is supreme above loyalty to one’s party and its leaders.

In my opinion, the Group of 25 eminent Malays have done justice to the country by bringing the people’s complaints to the ears of the Conference of Rulers. Now, it is not just the Crown Prince of Johor who has expressed his disgust, but the Conference of Rulers as a whole.

By now, all things should come to a standstill and those holding senior positions who have gone out of line should hold their breath and move back in line with the royal decree.

As pointed out by Kadir, the litmus test now is whether the individuals appointed to various senior positions in the government would align themselves with the Malay rulers or would they prefer to stay loyal to one man - Najib himself.

To me, this is checkmate for Najib.

Need for royal commission of inquiry

In my opinion, the truth cannot be uncovered unless the Conference of Malay Rulers also sets up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to investigate the 1MDB scandal, so that a whole generation of Malaysians can learn from the mistakes made.

If found guilty, even the prime minister should face the music; there is really no room for negotiations or face saving, where corruption and abuse of power is concerned.

Politicians, too, can be warned against such a scandal which, if left unchecked, would have rocked the nation’s economic well-being and stability.

Malaysians and overseas observers are equally as keen to find out why the probe on the 1MDB had come to a sudden standstill after former attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail was dropped and the public accounts committee discontinued its work after several members were appointed to the cabinet.

In short, the vice-chairperson of the PAC has no executive power despite this being a parliamentary committee set up for check-and-balance, so that there is no abuse of power by the ruling party. Do you see the irony now?

Unless the RCI is set up, confidence in the country’s administration may suffer an all-time low. The RCI will only help to restore the people’s confidence and investors will begin to look at Malaysia favourably.

The decree is also a litmus test to Gani, who has been urged by former Special Branch deputy chief Abdul Hamid Bador ( photo ) to spill the beans .

If Gani is loyal to the Conference of Malay Rulers and to the country, he has an obligation to tell us the truth whether there was indeed a warrant of arrest issued against Najib prior to his removal.

Gani cannot hide in his own cocoon while the rest of the country is suffering, whether it is out of fear of being persecuted like the others or that his own misdeeds might also be exposed in retaliation.

Gani’s exposé (if any) would force and expedite the formation of the RCI. Alternatively, the Conference of Rulers can urge the setting up of the RCI in order to get to the bottom of the scandal. Nothing should be left unturned.

Time for Umno and NGOs to prove they heed decree

This is also the time for Umno and all the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) aligned to itself, which has always claimed to uphold the royalty, to prove that they will now heed the decree issued by the Conference of Rulers.

Pakatan Harapan’s stand on the no-confidence vote is crystal clear. They can submit a no-confidence motion in Parliament, and speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia should not reject it.

Likewise, PAS would have to also review its president’s decision not to support the vote of no-confidence against Najib in the light of the royal decree. A lot of questions can be asked about the intents of the decree; therefore, a two-day discussion in Parliament as proposed by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is tantamount to upholding the royal decree. Else, what is the royal decree for?

In October, when the parliament is in session, there will be a motion of ‘no confidence vote’ being mooted either by PKR as a party or by Pakatan Harapan. By taking heed to the royal rebuke, the onus is now on the speaker to allow the vote.

From within Umno, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin would have to step up pressure for Najib to step down as prime minister.

Someone like Khairuddin Abu Hassan should be released immediately, if there is no case against him. After all, from what we can see, Khairuddin had merely brought the case to the relevant authorities that have a role to play to combat the big C - Corruption.

A new prime minister (someone in the like of Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) who enjoys the confidence of the majority in Parliament would have to be picked, in order for the country to move on from where it is today.

The words of our national anthem have finally come alive: “May God bestow blessing and happiness; May our ruler have a successful reign!”

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.