SPB YDP Agong denied support for illegal rally

HM SPB YDP Agong Tuanku Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud denied claims that he supported or condoned the “Nov 11 march”, which was deemed illegal assembly in the eyes of the law as it did not get a Police permit, as provided under the Police Act. The Grand Chamberlain of Istana Negara issued an official statement on the matter.

Bernama.com has the story:

November 16, 2007 14:12 PM

Tuanku Mizan Regrets Claims He Supports Illegal Rally     KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 (Bernama) — Yang di- Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has expressed regret over claims that he and the Palace approved and suppported Saturday’s illegal rally in the city. In a statement issued here today by the Datuk Pengelola Bijaya Diraja of Istana Negara, Datuk Wan Mohd Safiain Wan Hasan, the King also regretted the gathering which was organised by the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) and supported by the opposition parties. Tuanku Mizan stressed that he and Istana Negara had at no time approved or given any support, directly or indirectly, to any quarters that organised or was involved in the illegal assembly or any other activities that contravened the law. On Saturday, Bersih, which comprises several non-governmental organisations, as well as some opposition parties had gathered their supporters at various spots in the city, including around Masjid Jamek, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and the National Mosque, before marching to Istana Negara to hand over a memorandum to Tuanku Mizan. The following Monday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaffar said Bersih had decided to submit the memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong after the ruler himself approved of it, and that the presence of Bersih at Istana Negara was to hand over the memorandum to the King’s representative. In the statement, Tuanku Mizan said as the head of state, he was responsible in ensuring that the country’s administration based on the constitutional monarchy system as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, was respected and adhered to by all. He hoped that the people would act in accordance with the law and not be involved in any illegal action or activity. “Every Malaysian citizen is responsible for maintaining public order for continued peace and stability in the country,” Tuanku Mizan said. The King also hoped that the people would together work at preserving unity and harmony to ensure that the country would continue to develop, prosper and be respected. Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Safiain said that Istana Negara, for the first time, summoned the media to publicise the content of the statement as the King viewed the matter seriously. “Normally, Istana Negara would issue a statement via facsimile but this time, we had to call the media here to ensure that the King’s message reaches the people,” he added. — BERNAMA

This basically sealed the fate of the BERSIH initiative to complain and drag the Monarchs, into politics. The Constitution of the Federation of Malaysia clearly stated that HM SPB YDP Agong and HRH Rulers have absolute power only on two issues; anything with regards to the Malay custom, culture and heritage and Islam. Everything else, HM SPB YDP Agong and HRH Rulers, will have to listen to the Executive, which is backed by the democratically elected Parliament and State Assemblies, inline with the Westminster style Constitutional Monarchy adopted and being practiced.

During the negotiations for independence in 1956, then Chief Minister and UMNO President, YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, who is also the Chairman of Alliance Party, which won the 1955 first General Elections near absolute mandate, managed to convince the Malay Rulers, through their representative for the independence mission, Dato’ Paglima Bukit Gantang Hj Abdul Wahab bin Toh Muda Abdul Aziz and Dato’ Nik Ahmad Kamil, for the Rulers to absolve their right into politics and day-to-day management of the country and instead adopt the Westminster style Constitutional Monarchy.

This is the AP report on the same subject matter which Bernama reported:

Malaysian king disapproves rally for electoral reforms in major blow to opposition

By EILEEN NG,Associated Press Writer AP – Saturday, November 17

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysia’s king expressed regret Friday over a recent opposition-backed rally for electoral reforms, dealing a blow to activists who had hoped that royal intervention would boost their cause.

In a rare media statement, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin also dismissed claims that he had approved and supported the Nov. 10 rally, the biggest political demonstration in the country in nearly a decade.

Organizers said 30,000 people took part in the demonstration, which was banned by the government. Police put the number at 4,000, and said nearly 250 people were briefly detained.

The king said he “truly regretted the illegal gathering.”

The constitutional monarch almost never comments on political developments in the country. The break in protocol appeared to be an attempt by the royal palace to send a signal to the government that he remains apolitical amid concerns he had tacitly encouraged opposition activists by allowing a palace official to accept their memorandum after the rally.

Mizan stressed that he and the National Palace “never at any time approved or gave any support, directly or indirectly, to any parties that organized or were involved in the illegal gathering or any other activities that violate the law.”

The demonstrators, prevented from gathering at a downtown park, had marched to the royal palace where they handed over the memorandum addressed to the king.

The king, who largely has a ceremonial role with no executive power, remains a highly revered figure in Malaysia, especially by the majority Malay Muslims. Many even feel _ possibly in misplaced faith _ that the monarch is influential enough to stop the state from following undemocratic practices.

Sivarasa Rasiah, one of the protest organizers, said the campaign for election reforms will go on, with general elections widely expected next year.

“We respect the king’s views but we continue to hope that the royalty will play a role to help advance the course of democracy and ensure elections are clean and fair,” he told The Associated Press.

The king urged the people to stay away from illegal gatherings, and to preserve unity and harmony. “Every Malaysian citizen is responsible for maintaining public order for continued peace and stability in the country,” he said in the statement.

The demonstrators were demanding the removal of phantom voters from electoral rolls, a crackdown on government workers using absentee ballots, access to state-controlled media by all political parties, and an end to vote-buying and other irregularities.

The government denies election irregularities, saying electoral rolls have been cleaned up and the polling system is transparent.

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In the statement, HM SPB YDP Agong urged Malaysians to respect the law and abide by it, to maintain harmony and stability. It seems that the Oppositions and BERSIH now have ran out of this avenue (using the Palace as a “branding excuse”, for more support) to continue further to pressure for reforms, despite SPR has announced that changes have already been made.

At he November 10 march, the Opposition leaders took the primary position and ‘centre stage’ as the “assumed leaders”, ‘representing the rakyat’ during the rally, which many participants and active campaigners vehemently defended as a “march of civil society citizens”.

The outcome of this statement has suddenly quashed so much rumours circulating amongst the participants and supporters of BERSIH’s November 10 march that HM SPB YDP Agong instructed the Army “provide safe passage for the marchers”, especially when the Police moved onto the rowdy crowd in the Masjid Jame’s area. Irresponsible rumours like this, implicitly trying to ‘drag’ Monarchs into politics and pit the confidence and faith of the rakyat against the Police, coupled with an untrue millitary loyalty and objective, as per consented by the Palace.

This statement also is expected to have given the Police Force more confidence and ‘endorsement’ to take stern action against future illegal assemblies, marches and demonstration, which include Opposition staged ones but guised under NGO, as part of their responsibility to maintain public order and law.

*Updated as of Saturday, 17 November 2007

On another note, PAS made a statement refuting that they are the organiser of the November 10 March and the earlier report that the approval of HM SPB YDP Agong was never sought.

This is what has been reported by The Star:

Saturday November 17, 2007

PAS: Rally organisers did not seek King’s okay

KOTA BARU: PAS, which was involved in last Saturday’s illegal gathering in Kuala Lumpur, said the organisers of the rally had never sought the approval of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Secretary-general Datuk Kamaruddin Jaafar said the party wanted to clear any misconception which may have emerged over the issue.

The MP for Tumpat also said the gathering was not organised by PAS but by Bersih.

“Bersih is responsible for the details of the gathering, the Opposition just supported it. The Opposition just handed over a memorandum,” he said when contacted.

Kamaruddin said he made a statement earlier this week following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s remarks that the Opposition was dragging the royalty into the entire issue.

“I responded through our Harakahdaily that we were asked by palace officials earlier to provide a list of names for those who would be handing over the memorandum.

“At no time was the King’s consent sought or given,” he said.