I refer to your report Sultan at Umno bash, PAS Youth cries foul .

Whilst it is true that the Malay Rulers should transcend party politics, the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the formation of Umno was not just an ordinary anniversary for the rakyat.

Malaysians will remember that on April 1, 1946 the Malayan Union was established, purporting, inter alia, to transfer the sovereignty of the nine Federated and Unfederated Malay States from the respective Malay Rulers to the British monarch, King George VI.

Other provisions regarding citizenship rights for latter day immigrants did not go down well with the native Malays who felt threatened in what they perceived as their homeland.

The upshot was the arousal of Malay nationalism and the awakening of the Malay Rulers which culminated in the then Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim, the grandfather of the present Sultan Iskandar, allowing and in fact, encouraging his subjects (including his Mentri Besar, Dato' Onn Ja'afar) to unite and press for the repeal of the Malayan Union. He even allowed them the use of his palace to assemble.

In the event, the protest was successful and the Malayan Union was abolished and the Federation of Malaya was born on Feb 1,1948. Sovereignty over the Malay States was returned to the various Malay Rulers.

That the sovereignty over the Malay States rested in the hands of the Malay Rulers before August 31, 1957 is often overlooked until and unless one remembers that each of the nine Rulers had exactly the same legal rights and powers as the present Sultan of Brunei has over his sultanate.

The struggle against the British colonialists 60 years ago was as much a political fight of the Malay rakyat as well as a battle for the Malay Royalty to wrest back their sovereignty over the Malay States, usurped by the Malayan Union proposal following the nine MacMichael

treaties (named after Sir Harold MacMichael who was instrumental in getting them signed).

That the founding father of our nation, Tunku Abdul Rahman was so astute in his dealings with his fellow royals that they were prepared to give up their sovereignty over the Malay States to become constitutional monarchs, nut that is another story.

We should not forget that the successful Merdeka Mission in December 1955 was a partnership between the Alliance (which won 51 out of the 52 elected seats in the Federal Legislative Assembly) and the Malay Rulers (represented by the Mentri Besar of Perak, Panglima Bukit Gantang, Abdul Wahab Toh Muda Abdul Aziz).

So before any party challenges the right of Sultan Iskandar to attend the celebration of an event 60 years ago, they will be well advised to remember the contribution of Sultan Iskandar's grandfather to the defeat of the Malayan Union.

Allah Peliharakan Sultan.