A Rare Royal Rebuke To Putrajaya: Deal With The Problems At Hand And Don't Fool The Rakyat
Acknowledging the fact that he cannot interfere with political matters, the Sultan, however, reminded the government that he is still responsible for the well-being and prosperity of his subjects.
By Sadho Ram — 25 Aug 2015, 03:52 PM
The Sultan of Johor has urged the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition to immediately resolve Malaysia's unstable political and economic issues after the Ringgit continued its free-fall against the Dollar. While he acknowledged that he shouldn't be interfering in politics, he added it's his duty to raise the concerns of the rakyat.
Speaking at an address marking the 50th anniversary of the Special Forces Regiment, 25 August, the sovereign ruler's advice to the government is being hailed as a "rare royal rebuke" in the media
"I am aware and sensitive to the concerns of my subjects. The unstable political and economic situation the country is in now is a major issue which has to be dealt with immediately. Though as a sovereign ruler, I cannot interfere in political matters, but as a ruler I am responsible for the well-being and prosperity of my state and subjects.
"Therefore, I urge the ruling government to deal with the problems we are facing now, among which is the deteriorating value of the ringgit," Sultan Ibrahim said in a speech that was uploaded on the Johor Southern Tigers Facebook page.
malaysiakini.com
The Sultan also warned the government not to fool the rakyat by whitewashing the problems and sugarcoating the information and news just to cover the current situation faced by the country
“The rakyat today are a generation of smart and learned people who can dissect information they receive, so please do not take them as fools by feeding them rosy news and information to hide what is really going on. Deal with the problems at hand immediately,” he stressed.
beritadaily.com
On another matter, the monarch advised "outsiders" who did not understand Johor's history to refrain from interfering in the state's affairs. Sultan Ibrahim was referring to those who questioned the state royalty's usage of the term 'Bangsa Johor', which is seen as the state asserting itself against the federal government.
"The term 'Bangsa Johor' is nothing new. My late grandfather, Sultan Ibrahim, in his foresight realised that Johoreans should be united under Bangsa Johor. In fact, long ago, the state anthem was titled Lagu Bangsa Johor. Therefore, to outsiders who do not understand Johor's history, I would advise them to refrain from interfering in Johor's affairs.
"I hope that Johoreans of all cultures and faiths will stand united and live in harmony for the peace and prosperity of our state, Johor Darul Ta'zim," Sultan Ibrahim said.
malaysiakini.com