MALAYSIA’s internet community has been buzzing with the 2 Nov 2012 arrest of Ahmad Abdul Jalil for allegedly posting insulting remarks about the Johor sultan. The Nut Graph speaks to political scientist Wong Chin Huat on the role of the monarchy in today’s world and how they are relevant and useful to democracy and the people.
monarchy
Remembering the Perak crisis
IT’S been almost two years since Barisan Nasional (BN) wrested the Perak government from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) but does anyone still care to remember? And how would we choose to remember it? If, as the saying goes, “History is written by the victors”, then the history of the Perak takeover would probably go like this: […]
Hindus first, before becoming Muslim
BEFORE Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim became a politician, he was far better known as a Malaysian champion of transparency, integrity and good governance. Indeed, it was no coincidence that Tunku Aziz, together with like-minded individuals, founded Transparency International Malaysia (TI-Malaysia) in 1998. He was TI-Malaysia president until December 2004. Even after setting up TI-Malaysia, […]
Criticising the monarchy
“Because the Rajas so easily handed over Singapore, Penang and Pangkor to the colonialists and then the Malay states, the People (“rakyat”) could no longer accept a system that only gives power to the Rajas and the People are not given any role in the country’s politics.” FORMER Umno president and Prime Minister Tun Dr […]
Anwar, Israel and the King
OPPOSITION Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim must have a lot on his mind: his ongoing sodomy trial, the upcoming Hulu Selangor by-election, and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s loss of four parliamentarians earlier in 2010. But one other thing is surely preoccupying his thoughts: Israel. In fact, he is clearly bothered by two things Israeli: How […]
Road to an absolute monarchy?
Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, one of the judges on the Perak menteri besar caseREMEMBER these names: Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, Datuk Zulkefli Ahmad Makinuddin, Datuk Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff and Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong. They have fundamentally transformed the nature and prospects of the Malaysian state with their 9 Feb […]
Questioning the monarchy
Construction site for the new Istana Negara (© Rachel Leow) IF you drive down Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur today, along the road that runs from the Sri Hartamas housing estate to the foot of the majestic Masjid Kuala Lumpur, most of the journey will be flanked on your right by a large temporary wall. […]
“Malays and rulers cannot be separated”
IPOH, 5 Aug 2009: Malay Malaysians and the Malay rulers cannot be separated and whoever thinks that the country’s constitutional monarchy is no longer relevant is a traitor, the 4B Youth Movement said. Its general secretary Datuk Wira Jamaluddin Abdul Rahim added that such a person was also trying to stoke Malay sentiment. “If there […]
Ku Li: Dissolve Perak assembly
PETALING JAYA, 12 May 2009: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has expressed hope that the Perak sultan will agree to dissolve the state assembly. Describing it as “the decent thing to do”, the Umno veteran said it was “also the only way out of a crisis which has already spiralled out of Perak, damaged the rule of law, […]
Book on monarchy to be distributed next week
KUCHING, 18 Feb 2009: A book that will analyse issues concerning the constitutional monarchy system in the country will be published and distributed next week. Information Department Director-General Datuk Abdullah Morad said the book would try to address clearly the confusion about the constitutional monarchy system that was brought up following the political developments in […]
