SHAH ALAM, Jan 8 — The Selangor government has accused Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia of trying to drive a wedge between Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s administration and the sultan.
The mentri besar’s political secretary Faekah Husin condemned today the Malay newspaper for “hiding their ill intentions behind the name of the palace”, while strenously denying that there is any issue of treason involved in the state secretary impasse, it
She said last Sunday’s column by Awang Selamat, a pseudonym for the newspaper’s editors, was purposely trying to stir up controversy and incite Malay anger towards the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.
Faekah also called on the Home Ministry to “stop pretending it is unaware of Awang’s lies and sedition
“It is sowing seeds of hate and suspicion, similar to what happened in 1992 and early 1993. Only then, the palace was the target and now it is the Pakatan government,” said Faekah in a statement today.
Insisting that it was only an administrative matter between the state government and the chief secretary to the Malaysian government, she said that the issue was being used by Utusan Malaysia to accuse the PR government of disrespecting the ruler.
In 1993, constitutional amendments were introduced by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to limit the powers of the monarchy.
Faekah warned Utusan Malaysia that the Sultan knew how it was the Umno-led coalition that eroded the powers of the monarchy and would not be fooled by its about turn.
She said that in light of this, Awang Selamat’s attempt to turn the tables and accuse PR of treason was “incredible” and “rotten” and the people could see that it was a political manoeuvre.
In her statement, she claimed that in 1993, an Umno MP had warned the royalty that if it did not respect the wishes of the people, “their throne would end up in the museum.”
She added that Umno Youth had also insisted that the federal government be firm on removing royal immunities while government officials were not to deal with the palace without the prime minister’s permission and could decline invitations by the royalty.
The ongoing row began when the chief secretary to the Malaysian government named Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new state secretary for Selangor late last month.
However, the state insisted that it could make its own choice and rejected the former Selangor Islamic Religious Department director who has been at odds with the administration.
The impasse has escalated over recent weeks and PR is planning to call an emergency sitting of the state assembly to amend the constitution to remove powers of appointment from the federal government.
The mentri besar’s political secretary Faekah Husin condemned today the Malay newspaper for “hiding their ill intentions behind the name of the palace”, while strenously denying that there is any issue of treason involved in the state secretary impasse, it
She said last Sunday’s column by Awang Selamat, a pseudonym for the newspaper’s editors, was purposely trying to stir up controversy and incite Malay anger towards the state Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government.
Faekah also called on the Home Ministry to “stop pretending it is unaware of Awang’s lies and sedition
“It is sowing seeds of hate and suspicion, similar to what happened in 1992 and early 1993. Only then, the palace was the target and now it is the Pakatan government,” said Faekah in a statement today.
Insisting that it was only an administrative matter between the state government and the chief secretary to the Malaysian government, she said that the issue was being used by Utusan Malaysia to accuse the PR government of disrespecting the ruler.
In 1993, constitutional amendments were introduced by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to limit the powers of the monarchy.
Faekah warned Utusan Malaysia that the Sultan knew how it was the Umno-led coalition that eroded the powers of the monarchy and would not be fooled by its about turn.
She said that in light of this, Awang Selamat’s attempt to turn the tables and accuse PR of treason was “incredible” and “rotten” and the people could see that it was a political manoeuvre.
In her statement, she claimed that in 1993, an Umno MP had warned the royalty that if it did not respect the wishes of the people, “their throne would end up in the museum.”
She added that Umno Youth had also insisted that the federal government be firm on removing royal immunities while government officials were not to deal with the palace without the prime minister’s permission and could decline invitations by the royalty.
The ongoing row began when the chief secretary to the Malaysian government named Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new state secretary for Selangor late last month.
However, the state insisted that it could make its own choice and rejected the former Selangor Islamic Religious Department director who has been at odds with the administration.
The impasse has escalated over recent weeks and PR is planning to call an emergency sitting of the state assembly to amend the constitution to remove powers of appointment from the federal government.
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