The Agong is attempting damage control
This second letter explaining the sequence of events is unnecessary and does not change the fact that the Agong is participating in the conspiracy to topple the government and to oust Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Why the Agong did what he did, as explained in this second letter, is not relevant. What is relevant is that the Agong is acting beyond his authority, as allowed by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
After yesterday’s blunder, it appears that Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong is attempting to do damage control by issuing a second letter, this time a personal rather than official letter, which you can read below.
Anwar Ibrahim and his agent in Istana Negara — Dato’ Indera Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja — had been planning yesterday’s supposedly “death blow” or “pukul mati” for some time. The strategy was to make it appear like Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the Perikatan Nasional by-passed the Agong and acted without the consent of the Agong.
In the Agong’s latest or second letter, His Majesty explains the sequence of events. We all know the sequence of events and even the Prime Minister has explained it (READ MUHYIDDIN’S LETTER HERE).
His Majesty’s letter is rather long and many of you may not be able to comprehend what it says. So I suggest just skip to the first paragraph on page four because that is the gist of His Majesty’s dukacita (regret), which was raised in the first letter yesterday (READ HERE).
What the first paragraph of page four says is, “I command or decree that the revocation of the Emergency Ordinance be tabled and debated in Parliament before I sign it.”
That is all there is to it. The four-page letter explaining the sequence of events is not important. What is important is the conclusion. And the conclusion is His Majesty the Agong commands or decrees that the revocation of the Emergency Ordinance be tabled and debated in Parliament before he signs it.
But that is the whole issue. His Majesty the Agong has no constitutional powers to command or decree such a thing. It is unconstitutional for His Majesty the Agong to command or decree such a thing.
Furthermore, it does not matter if His Majesty the Agong refuses to sign the revocation of the Emergency Ordinance. According to the 1994 constitutional amendment, the Agong’s signature is not required.
Emergency or no Emergency, the Agong must take the advice of the Prime Minister. Emergency or no Emergency, the Agong does not have discretionary powers. And whatever the Agong commands or decrees is not binding, and the Prime Minister is not obligated to submit to the will of the Agong.
This second letter explaining the sequence of events is unnecessary and does not change the fact that the Agong is participating in the conspiracy to topple the government and to oust Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Why the Agong did what he did, as explained in this second letter, is not relevant. What is relevant is that the Agong is acting beyond his authority, as allowed by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.
