IN SHOCK BIRTHDAY SPEECH, JOHOR SULTAN AS GOOD AS ACCUSES DR MAHATHIR & CABINET OF BEING ‘TRAITORS’: ANYTHING TO DO WITH PULAU KUKUP, FOREST CITY?

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has slammed Putrajaya in his birthday speech, accusing them of violating the Federal Constitution by signing the Rome Statute.

Sultan Ibrahim said this, along with the attempt to ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), had touched on the monarchy, Malay privileges, and the sanctity of Islam.

“Anyone who touches on the rights and powers of a monarch or state government has violated national laws and can be considered traitors.

“The federal government’s intention to ratify Icerd and sign the Rome Statute is a move that is against the Federal Constitution because it touches on the powers of the monarch, Malay special privileges, and the sanctity of Islam in this country,” he said today.

Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail previously accused Putrajaya of undermining the Conference of Rulers when it proceeded to accede to the treaty without prior consultation.

He had claimed that the move would render the Malay rulers irrelevant and impact the status of Malays and Islam in Malaysia.

Wisma Putra had previously stated that the matter was presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

It had also stressed that that the position of the monarchy will not be threatened by signing the statute.

The Rome Statute governs the International Criminal Court (ICC), which tries four core international crimes – genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.

Sultan Ibrahim said Putrajaya must remember the social contract on which Malaya was built on.

“The government must remember the social contract in the history of forming Malaya, where the privileges of Malays and the powers of the Agong and Malay rulers can’t be touched or reduced.

“As such, I wish to remind the government to not follow any international conventions to get recognition from outsiders, but will, in the end, destroy national sovereignty and threaten the peace of its own people,” he added.

Previously Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had taken a swipe at Tunku Ismail for criticising Putrajaya’s move to sign the Rome Statute.

“He is not an elected representative. He is only speaking for himself,” Mahathir said.

Meanwhile, Putrajaya had backed down on plans to ratify Icerd after protests from Malay groups including PAS and Umno.

Sultan Ibrahim: Don’t question my authority over land, forest, Islamic affairs

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar today exerted his authority over Johor’s land, forests, as well as the practice of Islam.

“I wish to stress that Johor is a state that was independent and sovereign long before the Federation of Malaya or Malaysia.

“This means that Johor has rights and powers in implementing matters as provided for in the state and federal constitutions.

“As such, I as the monarch and main ruler of the state, have a right and power over my government, and bear the responsibility to look after Johor and the people who live here.

“The state’s power on Islam, water resources, forests, and land need not be questioned anymore,” he said in his a speech to mark his official birthday today.

The sultan added that those who question the powers of a monarch or state government would have violated the Federal Constitution.

Previously the Johor royalty was embroiled in the controversy of Pulau Kukup’s status as a national park being degazetted.

Initially, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim urged the public not to be alarmed by this, because the land would be turned into a “Sultanate land” and kept as a park.

Sultan Ibrahim later decreed that Pulau Kukup would be gazetted as a national park according to Schedule II of the Sultanate Land Enactment 1934.

However, a Jan 31 gazette states that the state government invoked Subsection 3(4) of the National Parks (Johor) Corporation Enactment 1989 instead.

Pulau Kukup is one of three wetlands recognised by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, of which Malaysia is a signatory.

The other two are the Sungai Pulai mangrove forest and Tanjung Piai mangrove forest.

In a special report last month, Malaysiakini revealed how the Johor government in 2017 had allowed part of the Sungai Pulai mangrove forest to be turned into a 800 hectare golf resort.

Repeated attempts to establish who owned the land and the land status have been unsuccessful.

Project owners Country Gardens Pacificview Sdn Bhd also did not respond to request for comments. – MKINI

MKINI