Debunking Najib’s “It’s purely up to the monarch†spin.
It is BN, not Sultan, that is preventing elections.
By Nat Tan
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today reiterated Barisan Nasional’s stand in facing the Perak crisis by saying that the coalition would follow the proper process of law in taking control of the state.
He also ruled out on calling for a snap state election in the state, stating that such a thing was the prerogative of the sultan.
Almost no need to point out that this is pure cowardice, and absolute refusal to adopt the only just way out of this mess.
I wanted to point out however, that Najib is being very misleading – if not outright lying – with the statement in bold.
It is *not* the pure prerogative (as in initiative) of the monarch to dissolve an assembly at his pleasure. It is the elected head of state which makes the request to the monarch that an assembly be dissolved.
We need look no further that Sultan Azlan Shah himself in this matter: “under normal circumstances, it is taken for granted that the Yang di Pertuan Agong would not withold his consent to a request for the dissolution of Parliament. His role is purely formal”. (Selected essays and speeches,by HRH Sultan Azlan Shah, edited by Professor Dato’ Seri Visu Sinnadurai, tahun 2004)
Absent such a request by the head of state however, what move can there be for dissolution?
