Pakatan accuses BN of sedition for suggesting King can be replaced
(Suara keADILan) – At Parliament today (25 Feb), Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers accused their Barisan Nasional counterparts of sedition for suggesting that the King can be replaced.
Said Mohd Nor Othman, BN MP for Hulu Terengganu: “We know the Malaysian system is different from the US. Here we have the King and the US has its president. The suggestions to follow the US system means denying the King as head of state. Is this an effort to compromise the constitution?”
Said Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz: “Ketuanan Melayu does not mean that Malays are stronger than Chinese or Indians. It means that the Malay rulers are the heads of the states.
“I hope we do not question the power of the King because if we want to elect the prime minister directly, it means we do not want the system we have today.”
BN twisted words for political advantage
The ruckus came about when Pakatan MP for Puchong Gobind Singh Deo suggested to Parliament that direct elections be held for the post of Prime Minister, much like the President is elected in the United States.
Gobind’s words were immediately seized on by BN backbenchers, who tried to twist the words to their political advantage. Outraged, Pakatan lawmakers slammed the BN for even suggesting that the King could be replaced.
Gobind also raised weaknesses in the current system, where incoming prime minister Najib Abdul Razak could escape a screening despite the string of scandals dogging his 33-year career.
In particular, Najib – who is also Pekan MP – has been accused of being involved of the controversial murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu, alleged to have been his mistress.
“Pekan’s member of parliament will become Prime Minister even though he has terrible scandals and is involved in a murder case,” said Gobind.
“This is clear when the investigating officer Gan said that Najib was an important witness in the case. What measures are there in the government to ensure such candidates do not become eligible for Prime Minister in Malaysia?”
