Sultans in several states appear to be flexing their muscles with their own speeches to their respective  state assemblies, observes constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari.

He said this in reference to the Johor sultan's remarks today about the state's education system and legislation concerning his authority.

This, he said, followed Perak sultan's recent criticism of state assemblypersons wearing black in the assembly hall and the Selangor sultan pushing his government to complete a water deal with the federal government.

Aziz Bari ( photo ) said these personal opinions by the sultans at official state functions was wrong from the perspective of the Westminister parliamentary system of government.

"As far as the system is concerned, the opening speech outlines the policy of the sitting government, not the personal view of the head of state.

"Thus the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the rulers and the Yang di-Pertua Negeri must not use the occasion to state their personal opinion.

"This may not only embarrass the sitting government but it may also compromise the institution of the head of state that must remain above the political fray," he told Malaysiakini .

He added regardless of the public's view, rulers as constitutional monarchs must be above politics.

"Any policy has two sides to it and the monarch cannot take sides," he said.

State assembly 'sovereign'

The Johor sultan today urged Johoreans to be open minded about the national education system and emulate Singapore's single-stream system based on the English language .

He also criticised "outsiders" - in apparent reference to Putrajaya - for pressuring the Johor government to water down a bill which would have given the sultan powers of appointment for a mooted  state housing board.

Prior to this, the Selangor sultan ( photo ) had urged the state government to expedite the implementation of a water agreement with the federal government adding the role of the royal institution was not just " ceremonial ".

The Perak sultan, meanwhile, had chided representatives wearing black in the state assembly to protest former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's jailing.

"That (to comment) is not the job of the sultan as a constitutional monarch. The state assembly in any case is sovereign in its own right; even the court has to recognise the house position in the system," said Aziz.