KOTA BARU: The Regent of Kelantan has finally broken his silence after weeks of speculation about a rift in the Kelantan royal household.

The Regent declared yesterday that his younger brother Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, has no authority under the State Constitution to act on behalf of Sultan Ismail Petra who is recuperating in Singapore.

Tengku Muhammad Faris, in his statement, said his brother who is the third in line to the Kelantan throne did not have the power of the Sultan, and that only he, as the Regent of Kelantan could exercise such powers until the Sultan has fully recovered.

His three-page statement was read out by the palace comptroller Datuk Abdul Halim Hamad at the Balai Rong Seri here yesterday.

As such, he said, the letter executed by his brother dated Dec 29 which was addressed to the state secretary, the secretary of the council of succession and the Mentri Besar was not valid.

"Furthermore, the letter in question reproduces the contents of a document, the validy of which is disputed in view of the Sovereign's incapacitation," he said.

The letter, which Tengku Muhammad Fakhry claimed was sent on the order of his father, among others directed the state secretary and the state authority to revoke all decisions and appointments made by the Regent with regards to the council of succession.

It was made available to the media on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Abdul Halim said the Kelantan palace would not comment on the dispute between the Tengku Temenggong, the Regent and the state government pertaining to the revocation of his (Tengku Temenggong's) appointment to the council of succession on Sept 16 last year as the matter was presently before the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Abdul Halim also read out excerpts from Article 22A of the State Constitution pertaining to the appointment of a regent.

The Constitution, he said, provided that there should be a Regency in the state if the Sultan was absent from the state for more than 30 days, if he was incapacitated from attending to the affairs of the state or if he was elected to the office or was exercising the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a period exceeding 15 days.

He said the Constitution also provided that the Regent or Council of Regency should cease to function upon the return of the Sultan to the state or upon his recovery from incapacitation or when he ceases to hold office or exercise the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

Thus, he said, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the Regent of Kelantan was exercising his functions as ruler until the Sultan was fully recovered.