Malay Mail
By Frankie D'cruz
By Frankie D'cruz
KUALA LUMPUR: A close aide of a member of the Kelantan royal household is believed to be the hidden hand in ending the relationship between Manohara Odelia Pinot (right) and Tengku Muhammad Fakhry who is embroiled in a succession struggle with his older brother.
The 18-year-old American-Indonesian actress and former teen model was apparently a pawn in putting her husband, Tengku Fakhry, 31, the Tengku Temenggong Kelantan and the third in line to the throne, out of the equation in the succession, sources said.
Manohara this morning told The Malay Mail that a high-ranking palace official had "helped me flee".
She described the person as a "powerful person" and that she was assured that her well-being, including finances, would be taken care of.
Manohara denied any knowledge of a rift in the Kelantan royal household, and maintained that she had been sexually and physically abused.
She said "a person in high office" told her not to worry about the latest Kelantan Syariah High Court ruling which compelled her to return to her husband, and pay back RM1 million and an earlier civil High Court matter in which she lost a RM105 million defamation suit.
This revelation has added a fresh twist to the Kelantan throne succession tussle involving the prince and his older brother, Tengku Muhammad Faris, 35, the acting ruler.
Sources said the problems between Tengku Fakhry and Tengku Faris were propelled by the marital dispute of the former that made international news.
The sources said businessman Datuk Kadar Shah Sulaiman Ninam Shah was used to plot Manohara’s return home on May 31 to Jakarta from Singapore where she and her husband were visiting the Sultan of Kelantan at the Queen Elizabeth hospital.
Kadar Shah had said he was roped in to help Manohara to escape from an "abusive" husband with the blessings of the office of the Kelantan palace.
The palace, however, distanced itself from the private matter and issued a statement saying Kadar Shah had not received its blessings. The controversial Johor businessman has been away overseas since then.
The sources claimed the plan was to discredit Tengku Fakhry and put him out of contention as successor to the throne.
Tengku Fakhry has, however, been vindicated as Manohara did not turn up in both the Syariah and civil courts to prove allegations of sexual and physical abuse by him.
The sources claimed the dispute between Tengku Fakhry and Tengku Faris had been simmering since their father fell ill in May.
They said the Sultan of Kelantan, who is recovering, had indicated that he was unhappy with the rift between his sons.
"The Sultan is showing good signs of recovery and would like to be transferred to Kota Baru Hospital soon," said a source.
Defamation suit sets ball rolling
KOTA BARU: The first sign of problems between the brothers came when Tengku Fakhry sued two top Kelantan palace officials for defamation in yet another move to clear his name in the high society scandal triggered by Manohara.
The civil action filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 10 accuses the Comptroller of the Kelantan Palace, Datuk Abdul Halim Hamad, and the administration officer of the palace, Nik Mahmud Nik Jaafar, of bringing disrepute to the prince.
Central to the suit is a media statement by Abdul Halim on June 15 that states the Sultan of Kelantan and the Office of the Sultan should not be dragged into the marriage crisis involving Tengku Fakhry and Manohara.
Abdul Halim had said in the statement that the Sultan and his office do not have any connection with statements made by Tengku Fakhry over marital problems he was having with his wife. In his statement of claim, Tengku Fakhry, 31, said he had never made a statement todate regarding his problems with Manohara.
Further, he claimed Abdul Halim did not consult him before issuing the media statement, and that he was not given an opportunity to comment on or rebut the statement.
Tengku Fakhry said by implying that his father and the office of the Sultan were distancing themselves from him meant that he was guilty of torturing and abusing Manohara.
It meant that he was a prince of improper conduct who brought humiliation to the royal household to the extent his father had to distance himself from him and matters involving his marriage. The palace officials have applied to strike out the suit stating that they were acting on the order of Tengku Faris.
State beset by royal tiffs
KOTA BARU: Tengku Faris was appointed the regent on May 25 and Kelantan had been besieged with problems since.
He removed Tengku Fakhry from the Council of Succession by a royal order on Sept 16 and followed up by appointing five people to the council to apparently consolidate his position and avoid any objections to his appointment as Sultan in the event of his father’s death.
Tengku Fakhry, the youngest of three brothers, received the termination notice from the Kelantan State Secretary and is challenging its validity.
He claims that his appointment to the council was valid as he was appointed by his father.
He argues that his claim to be the heir could be challenged as the Council of Succession has the right to determine the next ruler.
Tengku Fakhry says the council is responsible for determining who will succeed the Sultan of Kelantan as the rightful ruler, and also whether there is a vacancy on the throne by reason of a prolonged absence from the State by the reigning sovereign.
He says the revocation of his appointment to the council is in violation of Article 7 of the Kelantan Constitution and that the regent acted beyond his powers and discretion.
He maintains the powers must be exercised personally by the Sultan, adding that the regent had breached the rules of natural justice.
Tengku Fakhry filed for an application for judicial review on Dec 1 to challenge the regent's decision to dismiss him, and has named the acting ruler and seven others as respondents.
The High Court will decide on Dec 31 whether Tengku Fakhry’s application for judicial review will proceed.
Manohara denied any knowledge of a rift in the Kelantan royal household, and maintained that she had been sexually and physically abused.
She said "a person in high office" told her not to worry about the latest Kelantan Syariah High Court ruling which compelled her to return to her husband, and pay back RM1 million and an earlier civil High Court matter in which she lost a RM105 million defamation suit.
This revelation has added a fresh twist to the Kelantan throne succession tussle involving the prince and his older brother, Tengku Muhammad Faris, 35, the acting ruler.
Sources said the problems between Tengku Fakhry and Tengku Faris were propelled by the marital dispute of the former that made international news.
The sources said businessman Datuk Kadar Shah Sulaiman Ninam Shah was used to plot Manohara’s return home on May 31 to Jakarta from Singapore where she and her husband were visiting the Sultan of Kelantan at the Queen Elizabeth hospital.
Kadar Shah had said he was roped in to help Manohara to escape from an "abusive" husband with the blessings of the office of the Kelantan palace.
The palace, however, distanced itself from the private matter and issued a statement saying Kadar Shah had not received its blessings. The controversial Johor businessman has been away overseas since then.
The sources claimed the plan was to discredit Tengku Fakhry and put him out of contention as successor to the throne.
Tengku Fakhry has, however, been vindicated as Manohara did not turn up in both the Syariah and civil courts to prove allegations of sexual and physical abuse by him.
The sources claimed the dispute between Tengku Fakhry and Tengku Faris had been simmering since their father fell ill in May.
They said the Sultan of Kelantan, who is recovering, had indicated that he was unhappy with the rift between his sons.
"The Sultan is showing good signs of recovery and would like to be transferred to Kota Baru Hospital soon," said a source.
Defamation suit sets ball rolling
KOTA BARU: The first sign of problems between the brothers came when Tengku Fakhry sued two top Kelantan palace officials for defamation in yet another move to clear his name in the high society scandal triggered by Manohara.
The civil action filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 10 accuses the Comptroller of the Kelantan Palace, Datuk Abdul Halim Hamad, and the administration officer of the palace, Nik Mahmud Nik Jaafar, of bringing disrepute to the prince.
Central to the suit is a media statement by Abdul Halim on June 15 that states the Sultan of Kelantan and the Office of the Sultan should not be dragged into the marriage crisis involving Tengku Fakhry and Manohara.
Abdul Halim had said in the statement that the Sultan and his office do not have any connection with statements made by Tengku Fakhry over marital problems he was having with his wife. In his statement of claim, Tengku Fakhry, 31, said he had never made a statement todate regarding his problems with Manohara.
Further, he claimed Abdul Halim did not consult him before issuing the media statement, and that he was not given an opportunity to comment on or rebut the statement.
Tengku Fakhry said by implying that his father and the office of the Sultan were distancing themselves from him meant that he was guilty of torturing and abusing Manohara.
It meant that he was a prince of improper conduct who brought humiliation to the royal household to the extent his father had to distance himself from him and matters involving his marriage. The palace officials have applied to strike out the suit stating that they were acting on the order of Tengku Faris.
State beset by royal tiffs
KOTA BARU: Tengku Faris was appointed the regent on May 25 and Kelantan had been besieged with problems since.
He removed Tengku Fakhry from the Council of Succession by a royal order on Sept 16 and followed up by appointing five people to the council to apparently consolidate his position and avoid any objections to his appointment as Sultan in the event of his father’s death.
Tengku Fakhry, the youngest of three brothers, received the termination notice from the Kelantan State Secretary and is challenging its validity.
He claims that his appointment to the council was valid as he was appointed by his father.
He argues that his claim to be the heir could be challenged as the Council of Succession has the right to determine the next ruler.
Tengku Fakhry says the council is responsible for determining who will succeed the Sultan of Kelantan as the rightful ruler, and also whether there is a vacancy on the throne by reason of a prolonged absence from the State by the reigning sovereign.
He says the revocation of his appointment to the council is in violation of Article 7 of the Kelantan Constitution and that the regent acted beyond his powers and discretion.
He maintains the powers must be exercised personally by the Sultan, adding that the regent had breached the rules of natural justice.
Tengku Fakhry filed for an application for judicial review on Dec 1 to challenge the regent's decision to dismiss him, and has named the acting ruler and seven others as respondents.
The High Court will decide on Dec 31 whether Tengku Fakhry’s application for judicial review will proceed.
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