Was deposing a ruler part of your manifesto, Anwar asks Umno

 The prime minister says the federal government would deploy the full weight of the government machinery to defend the constitutional monarchy.

Istana Besar Seri Menanti is the official residence of the Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, whose position has been questioned by members of the state executive council.

PETALING JAYA:

The full weight of the government machinery will be deployed to defend the constitutional monarchy, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today, as he questioned the actions of the state executive council in Negeri Sembilan which has sought to depose the state ruler.

“Any dispute concerning the institution must be resolved in accordance with the Federal Constitution and the law,” Anwar said at a reunion gathering of Perintis Reformis this afternoon.

Anwar took issue with the role of the current state executive council, which comprises assemblymen from Umno. He said: “A state executive council meets to depose a Ruler – by whose right? During the election, did you state in your manifesto that if you won, you would depose the Ruler? There was no such thing.”

“The people supported you to defend the royal system, yet having won, you reject the Ruler,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

The current state executive council comprises assemblymen from Umno who were elected in the state election on Aug 1 when Barisan Nasional took power winning 18 seats through Umno (16) and MCA (2).

On Sept 16, the executive council, declared that the ruler, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, was no longer the Yang Dipertuan Besar as stated in an earlier proclamation by the state’s territorial chiefs. The executive council declared Tunku Nadzaruddin Tuanku Ja’afar, the Tunku Panglima Besar, as the new ruler.

The statement came after weeks of a power struggle when territorial chiefs allied with Tunku Nadzaruddin declared him as the state’s new ruler on July 5. However, the federal government and the menteri besar at the time upheld the position of Tuanku Muhriz.

On Sept 17, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said the executive council had no jurisdiction, authority or power under the Negeri Sembilan constitution to make its announcement on the position of the ruler, and that the menteri besar and the state executive council did not have the power to unilaterally vacate the ruler’s position. - FMT