The report quoting de facto Law Minister Rais Yatim as saying that Abdul Gani Patail's appointment was approved in recent days is utterly appalling and contemptible in so far as Rais is trying to out-manoeuvre and pre-empt the decision of the would-be King to be appointed by the Conference of Rulers today.

Why the mad rush? It cannot be because of the holidays.

It is hardly a week before the Rulers were to meet to appoint the new King and perhaps mull over the scandalous behaviour of the de facto law minister in recent weeks, bypassing the formalities of Gani's appointment.

This alleged approval cannot be seen in isolation as a proper act of the Deputy King acting in the absence of the King yet to be appointed. Rais's last-ditch attempt is highly contemptuous of the Rulers and the Constitution.

Article 33(3) of the Constitution allows the Deputy King the powers and privileges of the King until the "cessation of the vacancy" of the office of the King.

This can mean that the Deputy King's office expires today. Whether the Deputy King remains the Deputy or is removed from that office today is a matter entirely in the discretion of the Malay Rulers.