PKR politician Zaid Ibrahim , who just lost in Hulu Selangor by election to BN candidate.
Pakatan Rakyat’s star politician, Zaid Ibrahim, has accused Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak of trying to mislead Muslims over the Sultan of Selangor’s statement about using mosques for political purposes.
In the latest blog posting, Zaid said the sultan was giving his personal opinion, not issuing a decree.
He said the sultan could not have issued a decree on the matter because it would have been against the Federal Constitution.
Below is a translation of the article at myzaidibrahim.com with the title Beza Arahan dan Pandangan Peribadi:
“The Sultan of Selangor recently declared that mosques could not be used for political purposes. It was a widely general pronouncement. I am certain that His Highness’s intention was sincere, but certain quarters have probably chosen to interpret the statement to their own advantage.
The pronouncement must be considered in the context of the Federal Constitution and the powers that rulers may exercise. For example, should we consider it a political issue when a Friday congregation praises the sultan and supplicates with God to grant him a long life? And sometimes we hear Barisan Nasional being praised in officially-approved Friday sermons. Is that not political?
The pronouncement was His Highness’s personal opinion. It was not a directive, command or decree. In a constitutional monarchy, sultans cannot issue directives or commands like they could during the time of the Malacca Sultanate. According to the constitution, whenever a sultan feels a need to make a religious ruling, his proposal must first be considered by the state religious council, which would gazette the result of its deliberation as a fatwa or some other form of proclamation. A sultan’s opinion is his own. It can be considered good advice — to be heeded by all, not just certain individuals or groups.
Therefore, the question of Tok Guru Nik Aziz disobeying the Sultan of Selangor does not arise, even if Prime Minister Najib Razak says it does. Tok Guru and plenty of other Muslims do not share the Sultan of Selangor’s personal opinion. In our time and according to the constitution, it is not wrong to have differences of opinion. To differ is not the same thing as to insult.
It was a different case when the Sultan of Pahang decreed against the caning of Kartika Sari Dewi. It was a legitimate command; the State Islamic Administration Enactment gives him the right to issue it. Even so, many were upset and expressed their disagreement. Indeed, some quarters, including the Malaysian Syariah Lawyers Association, criticised the Sultan of Pahang for that decision.
So how was it Najib did not defend the Sultan of Pahang for his decree, which was legitimate, while he is so ready to defend the Sultan of Selangor for his personal opinion?
”The reason, of course, is politics. When a sultan does something to Umno’s advantage, Najib must defend him. We would expect the Prime Minister to know the difference between a decree or directive and an opinion or personal view and to behave accordingly. Otherwise, the rakyat, especially Muslims, will continue to be misguided through political manipulation.
