Ku Li tells cops his palace remark ‘misinterpreted’

Ku Li shows a copy of the Sin Chew Jit Poh article at his home in Kuala Lumpur today, January 19, 2011. – Pic by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 – Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah told the police today that his remarks on the Kelantan palace crisis were ‘misinterpreted’ by Chinese-language daily, Sin Chew Jit Poh.

The Kelantan prince gave a statement to investigator Saiful Nizam Mislah from the Kota Bharu police headquarters in a 90-minute session at his Jalan Langgak Golf house here.

“I told the police that I made some remarks but from the translation, they appear to be misinterpreted,” Tengku Razaleigh told reporters after his statement was recorded.

He also denied questioning the appointment of Tengku Muhammad Faris as Sultan Muhammad V in September last year.

“Why should I make wild allegations against my own family,” said the politician popularly known as Ku Li when asked whether he defended his remarks in the interview carried in the paper’s edition dated September 24, 2010.

“Why should I question the appointment? I haven’t ... have you seen it anywhere?” Tengku Razaleigh said, reiterating that he only spoke about the constitution and provisions on the appointment and abdication of rulers.

The Kelantan prince has had two state awards revoked and also lost his place in the state succession council after the new ruler was named to replace Sultan Ismail Petra, whose wife is Tengku Razaleigh’s niece.

He had previously said that he still viewed Sultan Ismail Petra as the rightful Kelantan ruler and not his son and former regent, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra Tengku Ismail Petra.

“I consider Sultan Ismail as the Sultan. He’s still alive. He still lives in the Mahkota palace,” he was quoted as saying last month.

Ku Li had also expressed confusion over the palace conflict, claiming that it appeared as though Kelantan now had two rulers.

In a statement released at today’s press conference, Tengku Razaleigh also said, “To clarify, I wish to state that when I made the statement, I was not aware of any amendment to the Constitution of the State of Kelantan that would affect the status of the Sultan. I am given to understand that this matter is now before the Federal Court and I do not want to speculate on its outcome.”

Among those who turned up at Ku Li’s house when the statement was taken were Pasir Mas MP Datuk Ibrahim Ali, former Umno politicans Thamrin Ghafar and former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Osu Sukam. - Malaysian Insider