IT is astonishing if one were to read the mind of rightists via the comments they dished out upon the police having launched an investigation against DAP loyalist Tony Pua for a 3R insinuation that the latest decree of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has fallen outside the realm of the Federal Constitution.
For his so-called “constitutional monarch bears limited power” incitement, 28 police reports were lodged nationwide, thus prompting investigation papers to be opened under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code for statements conducive to public mischief and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
To re-cp, the former three-term lawmaker (two-term Petaling Jaya Utara and one-term Damansara) has allegedly stated that Malaysia practises a constitutional monarchy system in which the powers of the Malay rulers are generally limited to certain aspects, including Malay customs, Islam and constitutional functions such as the appointment of the Menteri Besar and consent for the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.
“We have launched investigations after receiving police reports from across the country,” Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Seri M. Kumar briefly told the New Straits Times when contacted yesterday (May 20).
When asked whether police would call Pua in to assist in the investigation, Kumar said this would be done in the near future. “Of course, we’ll call all parties involved to assist in the investigation,” he added.
But no matter what procedures the authorities have followed pursuant to the nationwide outburst against Pua, it seems that nobody can really satisfy the rightists.
“It’s already 6:30pm (May 20) yet still o news of Tony Pua being arrested for 3R (race, religion, royalty)?” fumed former SK Gombak 1 teacher-turned-digital creator Mohd Fadli Salleh.
Nearly 30 police reports were filed last night (May 19) alone. There are more today. Where’s the action?
Ronnie Liu and Wong Siew Ki (too) have not been arrested yet. There’ve also been police reports for fanning 3R sentiments. Do these Acts only apply to certain races? … I’m just asking not accusing …
Such ‘incitement’ triggered a chain effect from likeminded individuals as evident in the 29K likes, 3.7K comments and 2.9K shares that the post has generated in a span of 16 hours.
Tony Pua is right!
What is obvious is that the perceived ‘retaliation’ from Pua, DAP’s Seri Kembangan state assemblywoman Wong Siew Ki and the party’s stalwart Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew over the pig farming issue in light of the Selangor ruler’s stern opposition has been hijacked by opposition-led Madani detractors as valuable political capital.
The game plan is simply to position Malay Muslims as “victims in their homeland” or better still, the so-called “Madani law is only intended to penalise them”.
“MB Sanusi (Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Sanusi Mohd Nor) was taken away at 3am … open your eyes, O Malay,” a commenter reminded her brethren.
Editor’s Note: Coincidentally, Sanusi was also engaged in controversy with Sultan Sharafuddin for making disparaging remarks about the latter in July 2023 in the run-up to the six-state election that year.
Speaking during an election campaign in Gombak, Selangor, Sanusi belittled the Sultan’s prerogative by questioning his appointment of Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari as the Selangor Menteri Besar.
Sanusi later submitted a formal, written apology to the Selangor ruler which was accepted in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood. Following this, the High Court granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) for his sedition charge in December 2024, thus closing the case.
While many rightist quarters have criticised Pua on his constitutional monarch stance, lawyer and activist Aidil Khalid has, interestingly, begged to differ.
The lawyer who previously represented anti-kuil haram (illegal temple) activist Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak contended that from the stand-point of the constitution, the political body and the legal system, Pua has been spot on in his view.
“If anyone reads it and feels ‘not right’, perhaps what’s wrong is the feudal spirit that is shackled within,” he philosophised.
In fact, Lawyers for Liberty executive director Zaid Malik has likened Sultan Sharafuddin’s call for Wong and Liu to visit the Dataran Selangor once a week so as to be able to better cherish the Rukun Negara as “overstepping the role of a constitutional monarch” in the first place.
“This is basically campaigning to influence public perception towards a certain ADUN, and indirectly, the party represented by that ADUN,” countered the leftist activist.
True enough, rightists will never be satisfied for even after Liu has ‘instantaneously’ heeded the call by Sultan Sharafuddn to visit the Selangor Square, the former Selangor state EXCO was mocked for “being pretentious and insincere”.
Some commenters to his FB post depicting him ‘memorising’ the Rukun Negara chided him for forgetting to bring Wong and Pua along while others are seemingly counting the days when the opposition will reign supreme in Selangor.
- focus malaysia
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