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Ahmad (L) receives his letter of appointment at a closed-door ceremony. (The Star Photo) |
CAIRO — The groundbreaking results of the general elections not only changed the political realities in Malaysia but event emboldened those who otherwise have only ceremonial powers, the state sultans.
"After a decline of power and influence between 1983 and 1994, the spirals of history are in motion again," constitution expert Shad Saleem Faruqi wrote in The Star daily on Monday, March 24.
"The last few years have seen a discernible upsurge in popular perception that the Rulers constitute a vital check and balance mechanism of the Constitution."
Sultan of Terengganu Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, also the current rotating king of Malaysia, has appointed Ahmad Said to replace Jusoh Idris as chief minister of the state in defiance of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Malaysia has nine sultans who take turns as kings for a five-year term each.
The sultans, who were once a powerful counterweight to the elected government, now hold largely ceremonial duties.
Amendments to the constitution in 1983, abolished the king's veto power over parliamentary laws.
Another amendment in 1993 took away the immunity from prosecution the sultans once enjoyed.
The showdown is the biggest challenge since the hereditary rulers had their wings of power clipped and comes shortly after the ruling coalition's bad performance in the general elections.
Abdullah's National Front coalition was ousted in five of Malaysia's 13 states and lost its two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time in nearly four decades.
Flexing Muscles
The appointment of Ahmad Said, an Umno state MP, as Terengganu chief minister has angered premier Abdullah, also the lUmno party leader.
"Most of the state assemblymen support Idris," he suggested.
"Therefore, appointing anyone else is not right constitutionally."
But former Bar Council president Sulaiman Abdullah disagrees.
He insists that the constitution allows a state ruler to act in his discretion to appoint a chief minister.
"The ruler has the discretion and it is his judgment," the constitutional expert said.
"The constitutional theory is the legislative assembly is made up of individual members. The ruler has to look at these diverse members and decide who would command the confidence of the majority," he added.
"If the Ruler has made the wrong choice, the test is the first meeting of the legislative assembly when a vote of no-confidence could be passed," noted Sulaiman.
"If that happens, the Mentri Besar [chief minister] either resigns or advises the ruler to dissolve the legislative assembly."
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