PROVE YOU'RE NO PALACE PUPPET: Azmin urged to push constitutional reform after Azizah snub

I refer to the public statement issued and reported in the press yesterday by Selangor Sultan’s private secretary , Munir Bani on the exercise of the Palace’s “discretion” in appointing Azmin Ali as a result of Pakatan’s inability to agree on who will take the post and the alleged complication caused by PKR and DAP’s refusal to name more candidates as requested by the Palace.

Like many malaysians I am truly concerned that the Palace has been ill-advised on the exercise of it’s constitutional “discretion” in the appointment of the Selangor Menteri Besar, in particular for having wrongly advised the Sultan for not appointing PKR President Wan Azizah Wan Ibrahim as the Selangor Menteri Besar.

Explanation from Palace holds no water, grave departure

The explanation put forward by the Sultan’s private secretary on why Azmin Ali was selected instead of Wan Azizah does not hold any water whatsoever and is in fact a departure from the most fundamental constitutional principle and consideration - that the Menteri Besar to be appointed, must enjoy the majority support and confidence of the state assembly – especially in the face of the facts here where Wan Azizah had 30 statutory declarations from PKR and DAP, including Azmin Ali, constituting the majority support of the state assembly out of the total 56 state assemblymen.

Furthermore, the manner in which the Palace had been wrongfully advised in vetting potential MB candidates has also created public confusion as to the role of a constitutional monarchy as practiced in the Westminster parliamentary system followed by us, raising the serious question, who actually selects the Menteri Besar ? Is it the monarchy or the ruling party as elected by the people.

Show you are not beholden to Palace or Umno interests for MB post

I urge the Pakatan Rakyat leadership, especially Azmin Ali, to use his new role as the Selangor Menteri Besar, to initiate immediate constitutional reforms to avert another crisis in the future appointments of the state Menteri Besar.

Apart from the list of important issues Azmin Ali said he would review – such as the water deal, KIDEX and the seized bible issues, all of which I welcome, I hope Azmin Ali will also make it one of his first and most important priorities – to appoint a high level state legal committee to conduct a detailed review of the state constitution and to propose necessary amendments to make the state constitution clearer in defining the role and function of the constitutional monarchy in line with the practice of the Westminster Parliamentary system adopted by our country – especially in regards to the appointment of the head of government such as the Prime Minister or the Menteri Besar in our case.

Gooi Hsiao Leung – Alor Setar Member of Parliament