The palace intervention in the Kedah MB crisis may be a sign of more things to come from the Malay rulers as they take on a more active role in the country's governance, Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Bahrin Shah said.
"The Kedah palace played a very positive proactive role in handling the Kedah menteri besar saga to ensure proper procedures were observed and the interests of the rakyat served," he said in a statement today.
He noted that the Kedah crisis was but only the latest episode in the resurgence of the royals asserting their role in Malaysia's constitutional monarchy.
Raja Bahrin reminded that the Conference of Rulers had advised the government to resolve the 1MDB issue a few months ago and the Johor sultan declaring that he was going to raise with the authorities certain religious issues which were constitutionally under the purview of the rulers.
Raja Bahrin said the royals' statements were a direct response to increased government encroachment into their roles, pointing to the recent bulldozing of the National Security Council Bill through Parliament.
The law, he pointed out, effectively removed the need to seek the consent of the Agong to declare a state of emergency and enabled only the prime minister to do so and appoint his own security council.
"The previous check and balance was removed. The rulers' wings have been clipped," he noted.
Raja Bahrin, a Terengganu royal himself, observed that the rulers were not taking this lying down, referring to palace intervention in the Kedah matter as an example.
"The rulers have chosen to speak up for the rakyat. The rakyat must now rally behind the rulers and show their support,” he said, adding that the people should welcome this 'healthy move by the rulers'.
"There is hardly any more separation of powers. Perhaps this is our last hope. We await the outcome of the battle royale and hope the rulers will be our saviours," he added.
The Kedah crisis started when several Umno state representatives openly declared that they had lost confidence in menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir and called for his sacking.
Observers believe this was an attempt by those allied with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak camp to hit out at Mukhriz's father, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad who is one of the PM's staunchest critic.
Mukhriz announced his resignation today.
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