Constitutional monarch has powers and it’s time to exercise it

Mistake to think Agong wields power, says Johor Permaisuri

Negarawan: “Many think, mistakenly, that the Agong wields power. This, alas, is not true,” said Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah.

Although this may be the case constitutionally, the rulers have a major role in galvanising the rakyat against any elements that will damage the country’s democratic principles, integrity, economy and security.

This is the time for the rulers to help save the country from the tyranny of the perpetrators behind 1MDB.

Gerard Lourdesamy: If Agong has no powers, then what is the role of a constitutional monarch? Why do we have nine royal houses to make the same point?

The late revered King of Thailand was loved and respected by the people for his moral authority and courage, and his undoubted integrity and not the limitations of his constitutional powers.

The role of a constitutional ruler is to uphold the law, defend and protect the rights of the people, and to act with fairness and compassion.

6th Generation Immigrant: Why do people take oaths and swear allegiance to the king before taking offices? Why is Parliament officiated by the king? Why is the king our field marshal?

The Raja Permaisuri Johor may be right – she may be idealistic – but we are at a time when unchartered territories must be fully explored.

Short of a revolution or civil war, in our form of democracy, we must find new ways to remove a corrupt government. Every peaceful avenue must be explored.

Surely oaths taken in front of the Agong mean something, and these can be implemented to the word with dots and crosses all in place.

Surely, the people who are all loyal to the king, embrace the anthem and the flag can together with the king try to remove the very (wrong) people they put there in the first place.

You are right, Your Highness, but Malaysians are exploring new grounds in our democracy – nothing is casted in stone yet. Try we must.

FairMind: Yes, the Agong has no power but it is a different case with the Conference of Rulers. Together they are the head of every Muslim in the country and as such they yield tremendous power.

The trouble is that they may not want to exercise their power when their own rice bowls are closely intertwined with the powers-that-be.

Surely the Conference of Rulers has the power to order an inquiry into the alleged billion-dollar heist of the century even if they don’t have the power to replace the present PM.

Yet, the Conference of Rulers is sitting tight doing nothing to save the country.

Ironically, we have students and common people who are braver and at least doing something useful in calling for the present leader to be accountable to the nation.

Kingfisher: Contentions and struggles within the de facto ruling elites in governance (politicians) is often a work in progress in national development.

The underlying premise of these struggles, however, should not be bereft of fundamental moral imperatives. Such imperatives are not alien to our proud Malaysian traditions and culture.

Roguekiller: True, the Agong has no executive powers, but His Highness is invested with other powers to appoint the PM, the attorney-general, chief justice, among others.

His Highness has the power to pardon jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, His Highness refused to execute it. His Highness has the power to question the removal of the former attorney-general (AG), High Highness did not use it.

His Highness could also able to turn down any candidate, which His Highness doesn’t like; the Sultan of Selangor set the example.

BB123: Someone please tell the Permaisuri that she is wrong. The Agong and sultan have moral duty to the rakyat that his government work for the welfare of the people.

If there are clear evidence of wrongdoing by the PM, the Agong and sultans have the moral duty to voice out.

Anonymous 2427581476397692: Yes, there is no absolute power to wield the axe on an elected MP but there are plenty of discretionary powers to correct any misdeed in the country.

People are requesting the royalty to get into the heart of the matter of 1MDB and bring it to a closure. The public is puzzled when US Department of Justice (DOJ) is incriminating MO1 (Malaysian Official 1) in the proceedings, while our AG is saying no wrongdoing.

Malaysians have the right to know who is responsible and find a mechanism so that this won’t happen again. And we want our billions back.

There are many ways the royalty could help; initiate a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) and appoint a well-respected professional to get into bottom of it.

Just a Malaysian: Indeed, the Agong has moral authority to defend the rakyat and the constitution. If any party has twisted the constitution to serve their interest, our rulers has the moral authority to set it right.

Worldly Wise: The Malay rulers in Peninsular Malaysia wield enormous power. They are at the head of the rural Malay social stratification power base. What the ruler says is followed down the line.

Asitis: At least, speak up against what is wrong. The royalty does not even need to target any specific person.

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