Cirebon to crown new sultan this month

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java

The royal family of Cirebon's Kanoman sultanate said on Friday it would go ahead with its plan to crown Elang Muhammad Saladin as the new sultan next month despite strong opposition from a number of family members.

"The coronation of Elang Saladin Muhammad as Sultan Kanoman XII will take place in late March, although several members of the royal family are opposed to it," said Queen Mawar Sekartina, a spokeswoman for the sultanate.

She could not give a specific date as details were still being worked out.

"We have made this decision in accordance with the last will and testament (from the Kanoman XI sultan, Haji Muhammad Djalaluddin)," she added.

Mawar, who is Djalaluddin's daughter, said that the coronation date in March should be on or near that day which marks 100 days after the death of her father.

Before Djalaluddin passed away on Nov. 19, 2002, he wrote a letter asking Elang to be enthroned as his successor, the queen said.

"The letter is a mandate from the king, which must be carried out. Therefore, nothing can prevent the coronation," she added.

Mawar said the decision was achieved through discussions which started early last month, or 40 days after the death of the sultan Kanoman XI.

During the discussions, many of those, who had opposed the planned swearing-in of Saladin, eventually agreed to accept the decision, she said.

"After we discussed the letter, we were able to settle the dispute amicably, although there was still resistance from a handful of royal family members," Mawar added.

The coronation ceremony will be presided over by Kanoman Prince Haji Muhammad Imamuddin, who has been temporarily in charge of the administration since the death of the Kanoman XI.

On Jan. 2, 2002, hundreds of royal family members staged a protest against the appointment of Saladin as the new Kanoman sultan on the basis of the letter from the late Djalaluddin.

The protesters said the appointment was in violation of a long royal tradition, under which only the eldest son of the sultan from his own wife could replace him.

Based on that regulation, Saladin could not be enthroned as the new sultan because he is the son of one of Djalaluddin's mistresses.

They said the post should be held by Prince Haji Muhammad Emiruddin, the eldest son of Djalaluddin's wife.

Elang Nasaruddin and Raden Kemas Muharram, both representatives from the opposing faction, have said the appointment of the sultan on the basis of such a testament letter would be "illogical", while adding that Djalaluddin knew precisely about the procedures to name his successor.

The protesters said they suspect the letter was a fake.

"We strongly believe that the late sultan was aware of the issuance of such a testament letter is not consistent with the royal tradition. We doubt that he would use such a mechanism. We also suspect that certain members of the royal family are trying to manipulate and shatter the royal tradition," Nasaruddin said.