The battle royale that is shaping up in Johor over the choice of menteri besar may look like a tussle between the Pakatan Harapan government and the monarchy over a constitutional principle.
The squabble within PH over the choice of MBs for Perak and deputy MB for Selangor in 2008 has set a bad precedent. In our democratic system and according to the Federal Constitution, the Agong and the sultans merely endorse the executive list that is put before them by the ruling coalition. This pandering to the sultan over the choice of menteri besar in Selangor was repeated in 2014 and unfortunately, this has added to the routinisation of “conventions” over the choice of MBs.According to one of the most important writers on the subject of constitutional monarchy, Walter Bagehot, the monarchy merely symbolises the unity of the national – or in our case, state – community.
The monarchy certainly not a 'tunggul'. So RESPECT our Raja2. They have the right to refuse.