K'tan: Sultan's sisters say consort a 'control queen' - Malaysiakini

Two of the Kelantan Sultan's sisters came out today accusing the ruler's consort, Tengku Anis Tengku Abdul Hamid, of having kept the sultan under lock-and-key.

"(It is) the consort (who) is controlling who visits the sultan, and police, doctors and hospital staff have been harassed by her aides,” Tengku Salwani Yahya Petra told reporters at Rumah Kelantan in Kuala Lumpur.


"I understand that one of the hospital staff has filed a police report on this matter," added Tengku Salwani (right in photo), who is the Sultan's elder sister.

Kelantan Sultan Tuanku Ismail Petra is currently warded at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

He was admitted there on Tuesday, May 4, after a dramatic police operation involving members of the Special Operations Unit (UTK) that saw the third son of the Sultan, Tengku Muhd Fakhry, and several of his bodyguards detained soon after their convoy left the royal palace in Kota Bharu en route to the airport.

In what is believed to be a tussle for the throne between Tengku Fakhry and his eldest brother, the regent and acting ruler Tengku Muhd Faris Petra, the Sultan's consort claimed to have been treated less than royally by the police.

Tengku Anis (right) also alleged that she had not been allowed to be with her husband the Sultan despite pleas that she feared for his safety.

According to Tengku Rozan, however, it was not long ago that the consort herslef allegedly barred them from visiting their own brother the Sultan when he was previously being treated in Singapore.

Until March this year, Tuanku Ismail had for nine months been in the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for heart treatment.

"We were barred for the whole nine months that we were there (Singapore). Other visitors, including medical specialists and religious experts from Malaysia, were also barred," said Tengku Rozan (left).

The claim, aired previously, has been denied by those claiming to be close to Tengku Anis.

Tengku Rozan, however, went further by claiming that of those visitors allowed in by the consort, some were adding to the stress suffered by the sultan by "trying to convince him" to think badly of the regent, Tengku Faris.

There is even reason to believe that the consort had resorted to the services of bomohs (witchdoctors) to 'treat' the Sultan, said Tengku Rozan, citing the discovery of amulets and other "questionable items" near the Sultan during his treatment in Singapore.

Both sisters urged all members of the royal family to give their support to the regent, whom they said has been very level-headed in trying to solve the family debacle without airing their dirty laundry in public.

The regent has thus far kept a low profile on the issue.

Tengku Rozan added that contrary to reports, Tengku Abdul Aziz Hamzah, who recently claimed he was barred by police from visiting the sultan, is not their uncle but that of Tengku Anis.

In what appeared to be a message to the consort, Tengku Salwani said: "Let's return to the true path which would be pleasing to Allah. We are over 60 years of age and God-willing, we too will (soon) return to Him. He knows what we do and the rakyat will judge our doings."

Tengku Rozan added: "We all belong to God and are under His powers, so we cannot always live in fantasy and always want to be praised."

Meanwhile the comptroller of the Kelantanese royal household, Abdul Halim Hamad, said that the Ministry of Health has appointed an 11-member panel of specialists to examine the sultan and advise on the treatment required.

He could not, however, say when the panel will produce their report.