PETALING JAYA: Tengku Mahkota Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah (pic) wants the police to take firm action against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for allegedly touching on 3R (race, religion and royalty) issues while campaigning in the Nenggiri state by-election recently.
Tengku Hassanal expressed anger and displeasure at the Pagoh MP for deliberately and cynically citing the responsibilities and role of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, when he was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
.Tengku Hassanal said that as a former prime minister and a veteran politician, Muhyiddin’s statement had manipulated the facts and brought about a negative narration to the people that Sultan Abdullah did not act justly when he picked the 10th prime minister.
“His statement also reflects immaturity, as though he cannot accept the fact that he was not appointed prime minister,” Tengku Hassanal said in a statement yesterday.
Tengku Hassanal cited Article 40(2) of the Federal Constitution, where the prime minister is appointed at the discretion of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the head of state.
“Article 43(2) says that the prime minister must be appointed among the MPs who, in the King’s view, has the majority support of Parliament members.
“Al-Sultan Abdullah did not make a hasty decision in appointing a prime minister although the Constitution gave him absolute power.
“The King at the time called on constitutional experts and sought the views of the Conference of Rulers before the appointment of the prime minister was made,” he said.
Tengku Hassanal added that Parliament passed a motion of confidence in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Dec 19, 2022, which was clearly in line with Sultan Abdullah’s consideration of Anwar as the prime minister.
As such, Tengku Hassanal wanted the police to take stern action without compromise on Muhyiddin, who had deliberately touched on 3R issues.
A total of 29 police reports have been lodged against Muhyiddin alleging that he touched on 3R issues during the by-election.
Pahang police chief Comm Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said an investigation would be conducted by Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department.
In Kuantan, Tengku Hassanal’s private secretary Amir Syaffiq Hamzah lodged a police report against Muhyiddin for bringing up 3R issues during the by-election.
Amir Syaffiq said the report was made after viewing a video on YouTube while at Istana Abdulaziz on Friday.
In the report, he said Muhyiddin’s claim was dangerous because it blatantly incited the public to lose trust in the institution of the Malay Rulers and meant to divide the people.
“It is also defamatory and seditious, besides touching on the sensitive 3R issues.
“Moreover, the statement clearly tarnishes the good name of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah,” he said.
The report was filed at the Kuantan district police headquarters on Sunday night.
Umno vice-president and Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail urged the authorities to act against Muhyiddin.
Pahang PKR also condemned the “disrespectful” statement made by Muhyiddin.
In a statement, Pahang PKR chief Fuziah Salleh said Muhyiddin had openly undermined and questioned the Sultan of Pahang when he was the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and chose Anwar as the 10th Prime Minister.
She said Muhyiddin’s action of dragging the royal institution into the nation’s politics was disrespectful and seen as a desperate attempt to fish for votes and confuse the people.
The state PKR would lodge a police report on Muhyiddin’s comments to safeguard the royal institution and the country’s harmony, she added.
