Insulting royalty means insulting military, armed forces chief warns
Zurairi AR, Malay Mail Online
The Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) today warned that it will not “take lightly” alleged slurs against the Malay rulers, saying that belittling royalty was akin to undermining the military.
Armed Forces chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin also said that the country’s royalty is a sacred institution that plays a significant role in the military, rendering assaults against the Malay rulers a vicarious attack on Malaysia’s defence forces.
“If there is an attempt to insult the Malay rulers, the ATM will see it as an element to weaken the ATM. We will not once take these accusations against Malay rulers lightly,” the ATM chief General Zulkifeli Mohd Zin told the press here.
He made his remarks when asked to comment on the forces’ view against criticism of the Selangor Sultan’s role in the state’s mentri besar crisis.
It is unclear, however, what authority the armed forces has or what actions it is empowered to take against civilians in such instances.
Zulkifeli explained that the Yang diPertuan Agong is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, while other sultans serve as captains-in-chief or colonels-in-chief of other military units.
“Every regiment and corps in the army was entrusted with the royal banners. Therefore, it is their duty to defend the rulers. The banners are their symbols of loyalty to Malay rulers,” added Zulkifeli.
In reply to the same question, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the monarchy is one of Malaysia’s pillars, along with race and religion.
“If we do not take this responsibility seriously, there will be parties who mock the religions, race, and the rulers of all Malaysians,” he said.
In Malaysia, like many other countries, the armed forces are split into three separate units to cover air, land and naval security. The word “royal”, however, appears only in the name of its air force and naval troops as the Royal Malaysian Navy.
While the Malaysian Army does not bear the word “royal”, some of its corps and regiments do, such as the Royal Armoured Corp and the Royal Malay Regiment.
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy where the country’s King, known locally as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, is elected from among nine Malay state Rulers to rule for a five-year term.
In accordance with the Federal Constitution, the King is also the commander-in-chief, the country’s highest-ranking officer in the military chain of command, with a duty to appoint the heads of each of the three military forces.
Incidents of insults against the royalty are dealt with by the police and federal prosecutors under the Sedition Act 1948.
