SHAH ALAM: The Selangor state government disrespected the Sultan of Selangor, when it failed to take action against Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for his remark on the Bugis community.
Selangor Non-Governmental Organisation Coalition chairman Nazilah Idris said the move by State Assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan rejecting an emergency motion to discuss the matter also showed that state leaders viewed this as a trivial matter.
“The ruler of the state, the Sultan of Selangor expressed his anger and disappointment over the matter. Does this not show the severity of the issue?
“Why was the matter not allowed to be discussed during the assembly and why hasn’t the state taken any action against Dr Mahathir? This shows that they are simply not bothered about it and does not view the statement from the palace seriously.
“If they did, they would have listed this as one of the issues to be discussed and would not have rejected the emergency motion submitted by Kuang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Shukor Idrus,” she told the New Straits Times today.
Nazilah said the state should bar Dr Mahathir, who is also Pakatan Harapan’s chairman from using any state-owned premises and should be barred from participating in any state sponsored events and activities.
“The state has to show some sign of respect to the ruler,” she added.
Earlier today, Selangor Barisan Nasional submitted a memorandum to the palace, expressing their unhappiness over the State Assembly’s refusal to discuss Dr Mahathir’s statement.
Selangor BN deputy chief Datuk Mat Nadzari Ahmad Dahlan said the emergency motion submitted should had been discussed as it was a matter of importance since the former premier’s remarks had raised the ire of the Sultan of Selangor.
Dr Mahathir was quoted as saying recently that Malaysia was being led by a prime minister who descended from Bugis pirates.
Following his remark, several police reports have been lodged over the issue as the Bugis community in Malaysia took offence. They demanded a public apology and for Dr Mahathir to be taken legal action against.
On Nov 2, the Selangor Royal Court said the Sultan was angered and disappointed with Dr Mahathir’s remarks made at the “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptokrasi” rally organised by Pakatan Harapan in Petaling Jaya on Oct 14.
The Sultan had reminded the public, especially politicians, not to turn race and ancestry issues into political tools as this could undermine the harmony and unity of the people.
The Sultan was angered, the Royal Court said, because insults against the Bugis community directly called into question the lineage of the Selangor royalty because it had Bugis ancestry.
It was reported that members of the council, after meeting the ruler, were of the view that a sedition probe against Dr Mahathir was warranted.
Dr Mahathir’s remarks had also caused consternation overseas, with several Indonesian leaders, vice-president Jusuf Kalla most recently, expressing disgust over the matter and demanding an apology.