Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil has lodged a police report against Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamarudin for disrespecting the king in a television interview.
“She uttered a number of words that, in my view, may have been disrespectful and rude towards the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” Fahmi told reporters at the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, where he filed the report this morning.
Police should act against the former PKR leader who switched sides to Bersatu last year under Section 505 of the Penal Code, which deals with remarks or statements that can incite people to commit an offence against the state or other people.
Fahmi added that Zuraida had downplayed the function of the monarchy as provided in the federal constitution.
In an interview with Astro Awani on the Consider This programme on Monday, Zuraida was replying a question about the government’s move to cancel emergency ordinances without the king’s assent.
The Perikatan Nasional Wanita chief said: “It is a waste of time to argue on this, when we know it will end up (with) something that is up to the government and cabinet to decide, and the monarch has to listen.
“If he needs clarification, we (will) clarify with him to his satisfaction. So, that should be the way.”
Zuraida also said the king has to act on the advice of the cabinet in most matters, and that the monarch could have engaged the government first for clarification before issuing a statement of rebuke.
On July 29, the palace issued a statement stating the king’s disappointment that the cabinet had not obtained his consent to cancelling the emergency ordinances.
Later the same day, the Prime Minister’s Office responded that it was done legally, stating that it was sufficient for the cabinet to advice the king on the revocation, as he is a constitutional monarch.
The king had previously decreed that the government table the ordinances in both Houses of Parliament for debate. He has also held the constitutional view on the monarch’s powers to both promulgate as well as to revoke emergency laws.
Following the royal rebuke, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the ordinances will be tabled when the Dewan Rakyat sits in September. – TMI