Chicken home to roost for Mahathir
KTemoc Konsiders
The most famous line of Erich Segal’s ‘Love Story’ has been ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry’, which was then immortalised in a 1970 film adaptation of that novel.
So, with that line, does the MM Online news story on 25 Aug 2016 ― Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad apologised today for amending the Federal Constitution by removing the need for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s signature and approval in lawmaking – mean that Mahathir did/does NOT love his King and Constitution, to wit, Malaysia?
Back in 1994 when Mahathir was ‘Emperor’ of Malaysia, meaning he didn’t give a f**k about mere lowly kings and sultans, his government passed amendments in parliament to the constitution (Article 66(4a)) to allow any bill that has been passed by the Parliament to become law within 30 days, regardless of whether the Agong gives his assent.
Thus this has today allowed PM Najib Razak to pass the NSC Bill to become law, namely, on June 7 this year despite not obtaining express royal assent, after the 30-day period by which the King would have to give his assent, had passed.
The NSC Bill provides for the establishment of the NSC, the declaration of security areas, and other related matters.
At that time, that was, back in 1994, many Malaysians saw Mahathir as a hero, a ‘royal dentist’, who had removed the unpleasant fangs of some unpleasant royalty who became unpleasant bullies and unpleasant abusers of ordinary pleasant but helpless citizens (also, as a Kedahan he knows the story of Raja Bersiong only too well, wakakaka).
