Johor Sultan 'will not interfere' in the matters of state govt

MALAYSIA - The Sultan of Johor has said that there is no attempt on his part to meddle in state affairs, breaking his silence over a controversial housing and property Bill passed this week that raised questions about the separation between the Malaysian royalty and state governance.

Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Sultan Iskandar said his priority is solely the interests of the people, and the state government will go on roadshow to explain that he will act only on the advice of the Johor Menteri Besar. The Sultan's first direct comments on the issue were made through an interview with the New Straits Times (NST) that was published yesterday.

"There is no interference. I want my subjects to understand the enactment and be happy about it," he told NST. "Once they are happy, the Menteri Besar will present the enactment to me."

The assurances were given by the ruler following an uproar from politicians and legal experts over the Johor Housing and Real Property Board Enactment 2014.

The Bill was approved in the Johor state assembly on Monday, after amendments were made to key points that had been criticised by veteran leaders such as former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy premier Musa Hitam.

The Bill is meant to pave the way for the establishment of a housing board to promote property development and help build more low-cost homes. In its original form, it would have allowed the state ruler to hire and fire the board's committee members and oversee the accounts.

Malaysia's nine royal houses perform largely ceremonial duties, so provisions that had the potential to allow a Malay hereditary ruler to intervene in policy matters of the state raised fears of a constitutional breach.

The amendments to the Bill included a provision that the Sultan could appoint four board members, but only with the advice of the chief minister.

Still, not everyone is assured that the amendments will be ironclad in preventing the ruler from exercising his will by not listening to the advice of the chief minister.

"This is the Malay custom - if the Sultan says something, it must be followed," Tun Dr Mahathir reportedly told the Malaysiakini news site. "I am worried that it would not be the Menteri Besar advising the Sultan, but the Sultan advising him."

The Johor legislature passed the amended version of the Bill on Monday after three readings that day, with a majority vote of 38 from the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition and 18 dissenting votes from opposition lawmakers.

The Johor Constitution requires a Bill passed by lawmakers to have the state ruler's consent before being made into law.

In his interview with NST, Sultan Ibrahim dismissed rumours that he was unhappy with the changes in the Bill. He said he could give his royal consent "tomorrow, if my subjects are not confused and are happy". "Stop circulating rumours that the Sultan does not want to sign the enactment. The Sultan wants his subjects to be happy. The enactment is for them, it is for their benefit, so it matters that they understand and are happy," he said.

This article was first published on June 13, 2014.
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