Mahathir, Malay ruler at odds over Selangor<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A constitutional crisis loomed in Malaysia
\nas Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and a Malay ruler deadlocked
\nover a successor to the chief minister of wealthy Selangor state,
\nnews reports said yesterday.<\/p>\n
The sultan of Selangor, Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, has
\ndisagreed with a list of candidates submitted by Mahathir to
\nsucceed Muhammad Taib, who stepped down after being implicated in
\na US$1 million currency smuggling case, the reports said.<\/p>\n
The sultan, whose hereditary powers include swearing into
\noffice the chief minister, said the candidates presented to him
\n\"were all not appropriate\" and they must be \"really clean\", local
\nnewspapers reported.<\/p>\n
\"Mahathir must be really careful in making his decision
\nbecause Selangor is a very important state. We don't want the
\nsame bad thing to happen again,\" the ruler was quoted saying
\nafter talks with Mahathir on Monday.<\/p>\n
A palace statement sent to AFP yesterday said the sultan was
\n\"very upset\" with political leaders who had questioned his powers
\nand attacked him in the media for not agreeing to Mahathir's
\nchoice.<\/p>\n
\"The statements which have been made apparently lack basis and
\ncan create tension among the people and the rulers,\" said the
\nstatement issued by Mohamed Munir Bani, the sultan's private
\nsecretary.<\/p>\n
It said the talks between sultan Salahuddin and Mahathir were
\nto \"find the most suitable candidate\" as chief minister and the
\nprime minister would shortlist candidates after studying their
\nbackgrounds.<\/p>\n
The statement said the question of the sultan not giving
\nconsent to Muhammad's successor \"actually does not arise because
\nthe prime minister has yet to submit the name of the potential
\nMenteri Besar (chief minister) to the sultan\".<\/p>\n
A palace source said the sultan left for Singapore yesterday
\nen route to London for a holiday. The ruler is scheduled to
\nreturn home at the end of May.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said Monday the successor to Muhammad, who resigned
\non April 14, would be decided in two weeks. The state
\nconstitution requires a successor to be sworn in within 28 days.<\/p>\n
Muhammad, 51, has been charged in Brisbane with failing to
\ndeclare nearly $1 million in various currencies. He faces an
\nadditional charge of making a false declaration to the Australian
\nauthorities.<\/p>\n
Muhammad, one of three vice presidents of Mahathir's powerful
\nUnited Malays National Organization (UMNO), has denied any
\nwrongdoing and will be tried in August. He is also facing a probe
\nhere over alleged property dealings in Australia.<\/p>\n
The Sun newspaper, quoting UMNO and opposition Democratic
\nAction Party leaders, said a constitutional crisis may arise from
\nthe sultan's reported refusal to approve Mahathir's choice of
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's sultans and rajas serve as titular heads of nine of
\nthe country's 13 states and choose a king from among themselves
\nto reign for five years under a unique rotating monarchy.<\/p>\n
Deputy minister in the prime minister's department Nazri Aziz
\nsaid the sultan had no right to refuse candidates proposed by the
\nprime minister, the Malay daily Utusan Malaysia reported.<\/p>\n
He hoped the issue would not lead to another confrontation
\nbetween the political leadership and the rulers.<\/p>\n
About four years ago, Mahathir stripped the sultans and rajas
\nof their legal immunity from prosecution through constitutional
\namendments passed by parliament and set up a special court to try
\nroyal families.<\/p>\n
Mahathir put an end to the royal protection after Sultan
\nMahmood Iskandar of southern Johore state allegedly beat up a
\nfield hockey coach in his palace.<\/p>",
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