Pakatan treads carefully as royalty flexes muscle

By Leslie Lau -The Malaysian Insider

Consultant Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 14 — While Barisan Nasional may yet pay at the ballot box over its ruthless power grab in Perak, its aggressive foray has put Pakatan Rakyat on the ropes, with its parties mulling an uncertain future and the possibility of a powerful enemy it could do without — the Malay Rulers.

Beyond the prospect of dealing with a resurgent BN and Umno, adept at using the advantages that come with being in power, the PR parties of Pas, PKR and DAP will now have to tread very carefully in dealing with the royalty.

Yesterday, Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah made it quite clear in a public statement that he was unhappy with what he perceived to be the rudeness shown against his uncle Sultan Azlan Shah over the latter's role in the Perak political impasse.

The Selangor Ruler, in his remarks, appeared to suggest that the institution of the Malay Rulers should not be challenged or threatened in any way.

"That is why it was important we did not name the Sultan in our suit," a senior Pakatan Rakyat leader told The Malaysian Insider.

"Tactically that would have been disastrous."

That was also why PR leaders have been trying to rein in Karpal Singh, the Jelutong MP and one of the country's most feisty lawyers, who has argued for taking Sultan Azlan Shah to court.

Karpal has become the focal point of pro-royalty protests organised by Umno in an attempt to whip up support for a party which had been rudderless and directionless since last year's poor electoral performance.

Just weeks before officially taking power as party president and prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak is hoping to unite Umno in a common cause against a common enemy.

Now, with two by-elections to be contested, the results of which will be significant in determining Malaysia's future political direction, BN and Umno leaders will be glad that PR leaders have the added burden of trying not to further aggravate its ties with the royalty.

If PR parties choose to take on the royalty, it will be a distraction it could do without.

Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, who is maintaining he is the rightful Perak menteri besar, has taken great pains to emphasise he is not against the Sultan.

Constitutionally, he contends, Sultan Azlan Shah does not have the power to dismiss him as menteri besar.

But Umno has been trying to portray his refusal to resign as an act of derhaka, or treason.

While a recent opinion poll by the independent Merdeka Centre suggests a majority of the public in Perak back Nizar's contention that fresh polls should have been called, it is now clear that PR is no longer dealing with the Umno of Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.