KL backs PAS in curbing royalty

KL backs PAS in curbing royalty

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday his party would support an Islamic opposition party in northeastern Kelantan state in its move to curb royal powers.

Mahathir said his United Malays National Organization (UMNO) would vote with the All-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) on amendments to the state constitution limiting the powers of the Kelantan sultan, the Bernama news agency quoted him as saying.

"If it is in line with UMNO's stand, we will support it," Mahathir told reporters after meeting Malaysian community leaders in Brunei.

"The other states have also amended their constitutions. In fact PAS supported us in the Dewan Rakyat (parliament)," Bernama quoted him as saying in the Brunei capital of Bandar Seri Begawan before flying back to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Parliament amended the federal constitution in 1993 to limit the powers of the country's nine hereditary sultans, who take turns every five years as Malaysia's king in the world's only rotating monarchy.