And what if the Sultan ignores your advice?

Well, the solution is simple. If you were not married then you would not have a wife problem. Hence if you do not have any Rulers then you would not have any constitutional crises. But how many Malays are prepared to see Malaysia turned into a republic? And do Malays even know what will happen to them once Malaysia becomes a republic?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

An amendment has been made to the proposed Johor Housing and Real Property Board Enactment 2014 stating that the Johor Sultan will act on the advice of the Mentri Besar.

“The reason why we are doing this is to show that the state government is acting in good faith and there is no intention on our part to provide executive powers to the Johor Ruler or disturb the monarchy system,” said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He said the amendment would make it clear that the Sultan would act on the advice of the Mentri Besar especially on matters related to the appointment of board members.

The Bill, which is expected to be passed at the state assembly today, became controversial initially when many perceived it as giving executive powers to the Sultan.

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Malaysians of the older generation (like me) would know the story of the First Agong, His Majesty Tuanku Abdul Rahman, and the First Prime Minister, YBM Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Incidentally, just to digress a bit, the Tunku is Tunku Abdul Rahman and not Tengku Abdul Rahman, as many Malaysians think, while Jalan TAR is Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, which is named after the First Agong and not named after the First Prime Minister. In fact, it used to be called Batu Road because it was the first ‘stone’ road in Kuala Lumpur.

Anyway, back to ‘the story’. Soon after Merdeka, a British Minister visited Malaya and wanted to barge into the Prime Minister’s office. He forgot that Malaya was now a sovereign state and no longer a British colony.

This British Minister was told to first make an appointment and he did not like it one bit. In his meeting with the Agong later, this British Minister complained about the matter and suggested that the Agong sack the Tunku.

Tan Siew Sin probably muttered ‘Tiu-nya-mah gwailo langsi” when the story was related to him (but I am just guessing here, of course, because I was told Siew Sin did not speak Chinese).

The Agong then told the British Minister that in Malaya it is not the Agong who sacks the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister who sacks the Agong.

And I suppose that summaries the position of the monarch and the chief executive. In Malaysia, the tail is supposed to wag the dog and not the dog that wags the tail.

And there have been occasions in the past when Rulers have been removed or have been blocked from taking the throne due to misconduct. And there have also been occasions in the past when Rulers have pardoned their children for misconduct, even in cases of murder.

And there have, as well, been occasions in the past when the Rulers decide who should and should not be the Menteri Besar plus there have been occasions when the Rulers have insisted that the Menteri Besar be removed because of a crisis between the MB and the Istana.

So you see, although the Constitution clearly stipulates that the Agong shall take the advice of the Prime Minister, or the state Ruler shall take the advice of the Menteri Besar, it all depends on who happens to be the Ruler and who happens to be the Chief Executive at that time.

The ‘rules’ do not really matter, even if they are carved in stone. It all boils down to whom dare bell the cat.

Some chief executives like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will choose to organise a road show and launch a whack-the-rulers campaign, thus dragging the Rulers through the mud and shaming them into shutting up. Others like the Tunku would privately meet the rulers and behind closed doors would scold them like schoolchildren and warm them that it they do not behave they will suffer the fate of the Indonesian and Indian monarchs.

But the Tunku himself was a member of the royal family so he knew how they think. And he realised that we must keep the Rulers in line but not bring them down to the level where they lose their dignity. Dr Mahathir, however, did not care two hoots about the dignity of the Rulers and he went all out to shame them in public.

Okay, so the Johor Menteri Besar says that the Johor Sultan shall take the advice of the government (or the advice of the Menteri Besar). Hence His Highness will not have any executive powers in the administrative matters of the state.

What if the Menteri Besar does give this advice (and he does so because this is what the Constitution says he can and should do) but His Highness rejects this advice and insists that the opposite be done?

For example, what if the Menteri Besar submits his ‘recommended list’ to His Highness and His Highness crumples that list and throws it into the dustbin and then His Highness hands the Menteri Besar his own list instead (a list of entirely different names). What would the Menteri Besar do?

Can the Menteri Besar politely tell His Highness: ampun Tuanku, berbillion-billion ampun, but go screw yourself? Or will the Menteri Besar tell His Highness: your wish is my command?

And if the Menteri Besar defies His Highness and His Highness tells Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that he wants the Menteri Besar removed and replaced with a ‘nominee’ of His Highness, will Najib also politely tell His Highness: ampun Tuanku, berbillion-billion ampun, but go screw yourself? Or will Najib tell His Highness: your wish is my command?

Yes, what is ‘on paper’ is one thing. What happens behind closed doors in a meeting between the Ruler and the Menteri Besar (or with the Prime Minister) is something else altogether. It will basically be a staring contest to see who blinks first. And not everyone is a Dr Mahathir when it comes to dealing with the Rulers.

So what is the solution?

Well, the solution is simple. If you were not married then you would not have a wife problem. Hence if you do not have any Rulers then you would not have any constitutional crises. But how many Malays are prepared to see Malaysia turned into a republic? And do Malays even know what will happen to them once Malaysia becomes a republic?

So there you have it. The solution is simple. But the cure to the disease may be even worse than the disease itself, at least as far as most Malays are concerned.

Can I, therefore, say that this whole matter may just end up as a stalemate?

Heh, heh, heh, heh…I just love every bit of this. Let us see who blinks first.