DON’T PLAY INTO THE SULTAN’S HANDS – UNITE & AGREE ON A ‘SINGLE NOMINEE’ FOR JOHOR MB: PAKATAN PARTIES MUST SHOW SOME CLASS – DON’T TURN MALAYSIA’S DEMOCRACY INTO A LAUGHING STOCK, AVOID AN AZMIN-SELANGOR PALACE TYPE OF FIASCO

 “PM: Winning party picks new Johor MB, not sultan” (http://bit.do/eNVVZ):

“I am glad that the PM has finally rectified a constitutional heresy that has bedevilled the nation for some time. And that is the general misconception that it’s the Sultan who decides who the MB should be. For this misconception, Umno ought to be blamed for condoning or even encouraging such practice in recent times.

Our constitution – whether state of federal – is very clear that it is only the person who enjoys the support of the majority in parliament or state legislatures that should be appointed to lead the government, whether PM, MB or CM. And that can only mean the nominee of the party or coalition whose members form the majority in the legislature.

This is the case despite the wording in the constitution which seems to grant the constitutional monarch the prerogative to appoint the PM or MB. However, it must be understood that such prerogative is a limited one. And that is: the one appointed by the monarch must be able to command the support of the majority in the legislature.

In the case of Johor, it is reported in some media that component parties of Harapan have individually submitted nominees for the MB post to the Sultan. This is wrong. Harapan must stop this heretical practice. It must come together to agree on a single nominee, whose name shall be presented to the Sultan for this appointment.”

Kim Quek / MKINI COMMENTS