Don't exploit royalty, DPM tells PKR
Christine Chan and Wong Teck ChiPublished: Aug 10, 2010 8:15 AM | Updated: Aug 10, 2010 12:19 PM
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the royalty should not be exploited but we should instead pay our utmost respect to them.
Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the royalty should not be exploited but we should instead pay our utmost respect to them.
He was responding to the usage of the image of the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim, in a poster at a ceramah allegedly by PKR in Batu Pahat. Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his displeasure on the use of his photograph.
“We should not exploit the royalty as this might affect their dignity. Instead we should respect and look up to them," he told reporters in a press conference after the launch of a new book titled ‘Najib Tun Razak Melakar Transformasi Malaysia’ at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex.
He said that the opposition should understand that the sultans’ position is “above us all”.
“If it is abused, of course the Sultan of Johor will be angry. So what is their purpose really?” he asked.
Muhyiddin (left) also stressed that the opposition should not belittle the royalty and refrain from making fun of such matter lest it create misunderstanding.
When queried on what was the intention of those who created the poster, he said that he does not understand why there are parties who would exploit the royalty and that this matter should not have happened.
“I do not know if this is against the law but they should apologise to the sultan and not repeat it again. It is our tradition to apologise when we have caused the anger of the royalty,” he added.
Jui Meng to give a statement
Meanwhile, former health minister and Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng said police officers from Batu Pahat will meet him to record his statement at DeCanter coffee house, Jalan Setiabakti, Bukit Damansara tomorrow at 11am.
He also accused Umno of being behind the ‘false’ banner to play up Malay sentiment against PKR and said they were the ones who should apologise.
“In an offence, you should look for the motive first. The banner will only put PKR in a bad light.
“The banner said Chua Jui Meng (right) is the candidate for MB. This is a very serious statement, it is not in PKR’s interest to do this as it will rouse Malay sentiment.
“So we ask the DPM to examine himself and his own party and also his record on racial politics.”
He said PKR acknowledges and accepts the Johor constitution requirement under Article 3 that the MB must be a Malay and a Muslim.
‘Banners started appearing in July’
He also said such banners started appearing in Johor last month soon after he become the Johor PKR chief. The banners were also found near the Rengit ceramah on July 31, which was stopped by police.
Chua also criticised Sinar Harian for sensationalising the issue by only publishing a photo of PKR members holding up the banner without explaining that the the banner was false and not from them.
Earlier, Bernama reported that police have recorded statements from 39 individuals, including politicians, to assist in the investigation on the use of the photograph of the Sultan on a poster at a ceramah by a political party in Batu Pahat recently.
Johor police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the statements from all the individuals concerned were taken shortly after police received nine complaints from several parties.
“The Batu Pahat OCPD and the Special Branch have been assigned to investigate the complaints and to detain the parties involved,” he told reporters at the Johor contingent police headquarters in Johor Bahru today.
Mohd Mokhtar said police viewed the move to drag Sultan Ibrahim into politics as a serious matter and would initiate investigations under the Sedition Act.
Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his displeasure on the use of his photograph when speaking at the closing of the Mahkota Johor Motorbike Tour 2010 in Kota TInggi.
He was responding to the usage of the image of the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim, in a poster at a ceramah allegedly by PKR in Batu Pahat. Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his displeasure on the use of his photograph.
“We should not exploit the royalty as this might affect their dignity. Instead we should respect and look up to them," he told reporters in a press conference after the launch of a new book titled ‘Najib Tun Razak Melakar Transformasi Malaysia’ at the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex.
He said that the opposition should understand that the sultans’ position is “above us all”.“If it is abused, of course the Sultan of Johor will be angry. So what is their purpose really?” he asked.
Muhyiddin (left) also stressed that the opposition should not belittle the royalty and refrain from making fun of such matter lest it create misunderstanding.
When queried on what was the intention of those who created the poster, he said that he does not understand why there are parties who would exploit the royalty and that this matter should not have happened.
“I do not know if this is against the law but they should apologise to the sultan and not repeat it again. It is our tradition to apologise when we have caused the anger of the royalty,” he added.
Jui Meng to give a statement
Meanwhile, former health minister and Johor PKR chief Chua Jui Meng said police officers from Batu Pahat will meet him to record his statement at DeCanter coffee house, Jalan Setiabakti, Bukit Damansara tomorrow at 11am.
He also accused Umno of being behind the ‘false’ banner to play up Malay sentiment against PKR and said they were the ones who should apologise.
“In an offence, you should look for the motive first. The banner will only put PKR in a bad light.“The banner said Chua Jui Meng (right) is the candidate for MB. This is a very serious statement, it is not in PKR’s interest to do this as it will rouse Malay sentiment.
“So we ask the DPM to examine himself and his own party and also his record on racial politics.”
He said PKR acknowledges and accepts the Johor constitution requirement under Article 3 that the MB must be a Malay and a Muslim.
‘Banners started appearing in July’
He also said such banners started appearing in Johor last month soon after he become the Johor PKR chief. The banners were also found near the Rengit ceramah on July 31, which was stopped by police.
Chua also criticised Sinar Harian for sensationalising the issue by only publishing a photo of PKR members holding up the banner without explaining that the the banner was false and not from them.
Earlier, Bernama reported that police have recorded statements from 39 individuals, including politicians, to assist in the investigation on the use of the photograph of the Sultan on a poster at a ceramah by a political party in Batu Pahat recently.
Johor police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said the statements from all the individuals concerned were taken shortly after police received nine complaints from several parties.
“The Batu Pahat OCPD and the Special Branch have been assigned to investigate the complaints and to detain the parties involved,” he told reporters at the Johor contingent police headquarters in Johor Bahru today.
Mohd Mokhtar said police viewed the move to drag Sultan Ibrahim into politics as a serious matter and would initiate investigations under the Sedition Act.
Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim expressed his displeasure on the use of his photograph when speaking at the closing of the Mahkota Johor Motorbike Tour 2010 in Kota TInggi.
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