MELAKA, Sept 21 — The royal institution will fail if rulers can be “changed by the month” and decisions are not made in accordance with the law and Constitution, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said political interference arising when decisions did not align with the wishes of certain quarters had created instability within the institution.
“In Negeri Sembilan, those who make a lot of noise about the Malay Rulers, Malay Rulers, Malay Rulers, but when a decision does not go their way, they want to remove that Malay Ruler ... I cannot accept this. We follow the Constitution and the law.
“If we can change this Ruler from month to month, the royal system will fail. That is why the King understands that the existing Ruler is legitimate. This means following the process as provided for in the Constitution and the law.
“It appears less stable because there are politicians who want to turn it into an issue. They want the Ruler to follow them. The Ruler must follow the Constitution. The Ruler should not follow politicians, otherwise the state will be ruined,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 41st Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Kota Syahbandar here last night.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong and Melaka State Secretary Datuk Salhah Salleh were also present.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had previously said the April 19 proclamation concerning the position of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, was invalid as it did not comply with the mandatory requirements of Article 10 of the Laws of the Constitution of Negeri Sembilan 1959.
The AGC also said Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Ismail Lasim and the State Executive Council had no unilateral power to remove the Yang Dipertuan Besar or declare the position vacant.
Meanwhile, the Negeri Sembilan Dewan Keadilan dan Undang (DKU) has reaffirmed that Tuanku Muhriz remains the legitimate Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and chairman of the DKU.
