Don’t meddle in palace affairs, Johor Sultan warns
FMT Reporters | August 28, 2015
Government leaders must respect the people by being transparent and honest, he says.
PETALING JAYA: Saying that his priority is only for the welfare of his subjects and the prosperity of the state, Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar today reiterated that he had no desire to interfere in the affairs of any political party.
“As I have stressed before I will never interfere with the affairs of any political party,” Sultan Ibrahim told the congregation when officiating at Majid Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil on the grounds of the Johor Police Contingent. “Though many political leaders have come to have an audience with me, I only listen to them and do not takes sides with any party or individual.”
The Sultan did, however, have both words of warning and advice for all politicians, saying, “My advice to politicians, among them the Kempas State Assemblyman, is: Do not meddle in the affairs of the Johor Palace or try to make statements that implicate the palace!”
Kempas assemblyman Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Tengku Hamid Jumat appears to have provoked the ire of the Johor royal family by making statements alleging the involvement of a member of the royal family in certain business dealings.
Sultan Ibrahim also urged leaders of government to show more respect to the people by being transparent and honest.
“In this modern day and age, nothing can be hidden,” Sultan Ibrahim said. Quoting an old Chinese proverb, he said, “A sack cannot conceal a hammer, paper cannot envelope a flame.”
“There are leaders in the government who are totally rude when speaking up, by labelling others as ‘crazy’ and even worse, being so arrogant as to want to “whack” my son,” Sultan Ibrahim said, in an obvious reference to Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz, who was involved in an unseemly spat with crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
“Are these the kind of leaders that are to be respected,” Sultan Ibrahim asked, reminding politicians that their own words can lead to their downfall.
He also stressed that Johor’s prosperity can only be maintained through the unity and togetherness of Bangsa Johor and prayed that they be blessed with strength and remain united in their challenges.
