What DAP Is Not Telling You

 

For example, if His Highness the Sultan decides Muslim women must wear a tudung in public and no beer/liquor can be sold in Selangor, the State Constitution of Selangor provides for that. And DAP must accept that fact or else leave the state if they are not happy.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The DAP-led Pakatan Harapan has been the Selangor State Government for three terms or for more than 13 years since 2008. If they win GE15 in 2022 or 2023, Pakatan Harapan would be four terms in power.

When the DAP-led Pakatan Harapan took over Selangor in 2008 — after about 50 years under an Umno-Barisan Nasional government (Umno-Parti Perikatan before 1973) — they appointed Khalid Ibrahim as the Menteri Besar. Six years later in 2014, DAP and PKR launched a coup against Khalid and tried to replace him with Anwar Ibrahim (which was the reason for the ‘Langkah Kajang’).

However, His Highness the Sultan, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj, refused to accept Anwar as the new Selangor Menteri Besar. So Pakatan Harapan proposed his wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, as the alternative instead.

The Sultan refused to accept Dr Wan Azizah as well. Finally, Azmin Ali was appointed the new Menteri Besar.

DAP clashed with the Sultan about whether Anwar or Azmin should be the new Selangor MB

This angered Anwar, and since then a rift was created between Anwar and Azmin, which resulted in him eventually leaving PKR to join Bersatu or PPBM in 2020, and which triggered the fall of the Pakatan Harapan Federal Government.

Of course, Azmin and his fellow defectors in the ‘Langkah Sheraton’ are called frogs and traitors. But the truth is, it was Anwar who was trying to kill Azmin. All Azmin did was to save himself by leaving the party. Staying in the party would mean his death. So, can you blame someone for trying to save himself when it was clear that they were trying to kill him?

Malaysians are only being told half the story — of how Azmin and the ‘Langkah Sheraton’ brought down the Pakatan Harapan Federal Government. They are not being told that Anwar was trying to kill Azmin, which forced Azmin to act in self-defence. Azmin was not the aggressor, he was the victim, Anwar’s victim.

Langkah Kajang was a coup against Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim

The 2014 Selangor Constitutional Crisis saw PKR and DAP allied against His Highness the Sultan of Selangor. PAS, however — PKR’s and DAP’s partner in the Selangor State Government — refused to join the anti-Sultan group. Instead, PAS allied themselves with the Sultan and supported Azmin — and not Anwar or Dr Wan Azizah — as the new Selangor Menteri Besar.

DAP was so angry that PAS allied themselves with the Sultan instead of with PKR-DAP that in 2015 they closed down Pakatan Rakyat and formed Pakatan Harapan — so that PAS could be kicked out of the opposition alliance.

Since then, DAP had been attacking both PAS and His Highness the Sultan, especially in matters concerning Islam. DAP is suggesting that PAS is an extremist party, and that much of what they are doing is unconstitutional and undemocratic. They even suggest that PAS wants to ‘talibanise’ Malaysia.

DAP is misleading Malaysians. DAP always talks about the Federal Constitution of Malaysia. DAP not even once talks about the Selangor State Constitution. In fact, many Malaysians do not even know of the existence of the state constitution and have never read it.

This is what the Selangor State Constitution says:

Article 47 says that Islam is the religion of the state, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony.

Article 48 says the Sultan is the head of religion of the state. The Sultan may create laws to govern Muslims in respect of Islamic law. He may also establish a council, called ‘Council of Religion of Islam’ to help and advice His Highness in matters regarding Islam. On the occasion when the Sultan is appointed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, His Highness will continue to exercise his function as the head of religion of the state.

Article 49 states that the state seal must be kept by the Sultan and the seal must be used on all occasion that needs sealing. The state seal must bear the inscription ‘Mohor Kerajaan Negeri Selangor’, and words ‘State of Selangor Public Seal’.

Article 50 provides that the executive authority of the state is vested in His Highness the Sultan. His Highness can exercise his authority unless provided otherwise by the Federal Constitution or the State Constitution. The executive functions may also be conferred to other person or authorities in accordance with the law.

Article 51 gives His Highness the Sultan the prerogative to appoint the Menteri Besar of Selangor in accordance with Article 53(2). His Highness may also appoint a Deputy Menteri Besar under the same condition. Under Article 53(4), a Menteri Besar must be a Muslim and of the Malay race.

Article 52 states that there must be a State Secretary, a State Legal Adviser and a State Financial Officer, and their appointment should be made by the appropriate Service Commission from any of the relevant public services.

The State Secretary must be of the Malay race and professing Muslim religion and he will be the principal officer in charge of the administrative affairs of the state.

The Selangor State Constitution is very clear and there is no confusion or dispute regarding the powers of the Sultan or the position of Islam in the State of Selangor. DAP is hiding this fact from Malaysians, and they refuse to talk about it lest Malaysians know the truth.

DAP accuses the Sultan of exceeding his authority regarding the appointment of the Menteri Besar or regarding the position of Islam in Selangor. His Highness the Sultan decides who His Highness wants as the Menteri Besar, and His Highness decides the rules and regulations concerning Islamic matters.

For example, if His Highness the Sultan decides Muslim women must wear a tudung in public and no beer/liquor can be sold in Selangor, the State Constitution of Selangor provides for that. And DAP must accept that fact or else leave the state if they are not happy.