Mat Sabu gives the Raja-Raja Melayu a subtle warning

(Malaysiakini) – Royalty in Malaysia should not be dragged into any conflict that arises among politicians, said Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, alluding to the ongoing anti-monarchy protests in Thailand.

The Kota Raja MP in his debate on the Supply Bill (Budget) 2021 at the Dewan Rakyat today said Thailand, despite a deep-rooted culture of reverence for their monarchy, had seen a wave of uprisings from the past to the current student-led protests.

“We see in Thailand the king is viewed like a ‘god sent to earth’ […] but in the end, the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts (protests) erupted.

“One side is said to have supported the then prime minister and the other was pro-palace,” he said.

“Today the Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts do not appear. (Instead) the ‘no shirts’ appear, students coming down to the streets raising three fingers, demanding the prime minister to step down, fresh elections be held and for powers of the king to be reduced,” said Mohamad.

The ongoing uprising in Thailand saw pro-democracy protesters adopting the three-finger salute from US film franchise “Hunger Games” as their symbol of unity amid an emergency declaration and mounting crackdown.

Largely led by students, the protesters are calling for Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s resignation, for the constitution to be revised and for the king to come under the constitution’s authority.

“We do not want Malaysia to follow Thailand’s path. We respect the position of the Malay rulers,” observed Mohamad Sabu.

“Therefore, no one should drag the royal institution into politics,” stressed Mohamad who cautioned Malaysians against emulating any examples of attempts to bring down the monarchy.

“Doesn’t matter whether from the government, opposition, NGO or others, do not drag the (royal) institution into any conflict between the government and the opposition,” he warned.

The current Dewan Rakyat has proceeded after Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah rejected Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s proposal to declare a state of emergency that would effectively suspend parliamentary proceedings.

Muhyiddin’s audience at the time was held amid mounting speculation of an attempt to topple the Perikatan Nasional administration after it supposedly lost majority support in Parliament.