Mahathir, Malay ruler at odds over Selangor

Mahathir, Malay ruler at odds over Selangor

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A constitutional crisis loomed in Malaysia as Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and a Malay ruler deadlocked over a successor to the chief minister of wealthy Selangor state, news reports said yesterday.

The sultan of Selangor, Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, has disagreed with a list of candidates submitted by Mahathir to succeed Muhammad Taib, who stepped down after being implicated in a US$1 million currency smuggling case, the reports said.

The sultan, whose hereditary powers include swearing into office the chief minister, said the candidates presented to him "were all not appropriate" and they must be "really clean", local newspapers reported.

"Mahathir must be really careful in making his decision because Selangor is a very important state. We don't want the same bad thing to happen again," the ruler was quoted saying after talks with Mahathir on Monday.

A palace statement sent to AFP yesterday said the sultan was "very upset" with political leaders who had questioned his powers and attacked him in the media for not agreeing to Mahathir's choice.

"The statements which have been made apparently lack basis and can create tension among the people and the rulers," said the statement issued by Mohamed Munir Bani, the sultan's private secretary.

It said the talks between sultan Salahuddin and Mahathir were to "find the most suitable candidate" as chief minister and the prime minister would shortlist candidates after studying their backgrounds.

The statement said the question of the sultan not giving consent to Muhammad's successor "actually does not arise because the prime minister has yet to submit the name of the potential Menteri Besar (chief minister) to the sultan".

A palace source said the sultan left for Singapore yesterday en route to London for a holiday. The ruler is scheduled to return home at the end of May.

Mahathir said Monday the successor to Muhammad, who resigned on April 14, would be decided in two weeks. The state constitution requires a successor to be sworn in within 28 days.

Muhammad, 51, has been charged in Brisbane with failing to declare nearly $1 million in various currencies. He faces an additional charge of making a false declaration to the Australian authorities.

Muhammad, one of three vice presidents of Mahathir's powerful United Malays National Organization (UMNO), has denied any wrongdoing and will be tried in August. He is also facing a probe here over alleged property dealings in Australia.

The Sun newspaper, quoting UMNO and opposition Democratic Action Party leaders, said a constitutional crisis may arise from the sultan's reported refusal to approve Mahathir's choice of candidates.

Malaysia's sultans and rajas serve as titular heads of nine of the country's 13 states and choose a king from among themselves to reign for five years under a unique rotating monarchy.

Deputy minister in the prime minister's department Nazri Aziz said the sultan had no right to refuse candidates proposed by the prime minister, the Malay daily Utusan Malaysia reported.

He hoped the issue would not lead to another confrontation between the political leadership and the rulers.

About four years ago, Mahathir stripped the sultans and rajas of their legal immunity from prosecution through constitutional amendments passed by parliament and set up a special court to try royal families.

Mahathir put an end to the royal protection after Sultan Mahmood Iskandar of southern Johore state allegedly beat up a field hockey coach in his palace.