Dr Mahathir Mohamad today delivered a potential hammer blow to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak by stating that an elected head of state cannot be removed by the sultan.
Instead, the former prime minister said that the elected head of state can only be removed by a vote of no confidence in the state assembly.
However, Mahathir was quick to add that the situation in Perak was different.
While he did not explain how it was different, the former premier could be alluding to the on-going court case to determine the legitimate menteri besar in Perak.
The state has been undergoing a political turmoil ever since the Perak sultan urged the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to resign in February following the coalition's deficit in numbers in the assembly as a result of three defections.
The sultan had then appointed Barisan Nasional's Zambry Abd Kadir as the new menteri besar - a move which resulted in a political and administrative chaos in the state.
A state assembly sitting is to take place tomorrow where Zambry is expected to consolidate his position as the menteri besar.
However Pakatan-elected representatives are also equally adamant in not giving up power.
Constitution is 'clear' on the matter
Mahathir also refused to comment on his thoughts if Zambry's appointment was legitimate.
"I said the case of Perak crisis is something else, something that is being decided by the court... [but] under the constitution and as far as I know, the federal constitution states very clearly that a monarch cannot remove a prime minister.
"He can refuse to appoint a prime minister, but once appointed you cannot remove him until there's a vote of no confidence made against him," he said after delivering a keynote address on the separations of powers in Putrajaya today.
When asked again if this principle applied in the case of Perak, he said: "I should think that it applies to the state but if Perak is different, then I stand corrected."
Nizar has filed a suit against Zambry on the question of legitimacy and the matter is being heard at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
Instead, the former prime minister said that the elected head of state can only be removed by a vote of no confidence in the state assembly.
However, Mahathir was quick to add that the situation in Perak was different.While he did not explain how it was different, the former premier could be alluding to the on-going court case to determine the legitimate menteri besar in Perak.
The state has been undergoing a political turmoil ever since the Perak sultan urged the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to resign in February following the coalition's deficit in numbers in the assembly as a result of three defections.
The sultan had then appointed Barisan Nasional's Zambry Abd Kadir as the new menteri besar - a move which resulted in a political and administrative chaos in the state.
A state assembly sitting is to take place tomorrow where Zambry is expected to consolidate his position as the menteri besar.
However Pakatan-elected representatives are also equally adamant in not giving up power.
Constitution is 'clear' on the matter
Mahathir also refused to comment on his thoughts if Zambry's appointment was legitimate.
"I said the case of Perak crisis is something else, something that is being decided by the court... [but] under the constitution and as far as I know, the federal constitution states very clearly that a monarch cannot remove a prime minister.
"He can refuse to appoint a prime minister, but once appointed you cannot remove him until there's a vote of no confidence made against him," he said after delivering a keynote address on the separations of powers in Putrajaya today.
When asked again if this principle applied in the case of Perak, he said: "I should think that it applies to the state but if Perak is different, then I stand corrected."
Nizar has filed a suit against Zambry on the question of legitimacy and the matter is being heard at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.
1 comment:
Very commendable of TUN Mahathir to bring to light that the sultan has no power to remove MB.We need people like him to go above politics and advise the nation so that this nation can be steered back to sense, with all the politics.
Post a Comment