KUALA LUMPUR: Legal action against anyone who makes insulting remarks about the royal institution is necessary to protect its honour, sovereignty and impartiality.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Institution of Malay Rulers Chair fellow Mujibu Abd Muis said there should not be a perception that the government is wielding its power when taking such actions.
“The act (of insulting the royal institution) has crossed the line when the palace itself takes action, as seen in several cases in Selangor,” he told Bernama.
Mujibu said dragging the royal institution into politics clearly overstepped boundaries as it creates a division that exploits the emotions and sentiments of the people, especially if it leads to slander and misunderstanding within society.
Therefore, he believes that it is high time a special law is introduced to safeguard the sovereignty of the royal institution from being exploited in political matters.
“This is happening more frequently, with individuals involved in politics seeming to disregard His Majesty’s decree and recklessly engage in actions that go beyond the limits,” he said.
Political analyst and senior fellow of the National Council of Professors, Datuk Dr Jeniri Amir, said the government should take stern action and treat issues involving the royal institution seriously.
“If we allow any party to insult or make derogatory remarks against the rulers, it shows that our citizens do not understand the principles of the Rukun Negara and are not suitable to be citizens of this country.
“In Thailand, there is a law called lèse-majesté that could result in several years of imprisonment if individuals threaten and insult the monarchy,” he said.
Jeniri also said that high-ranking politicians should be mindful of their behaviour and words, set a good example to the people and not cause negative perceptions towards the royal institution.
“What is important is that the action must be stern and appropriate in the provisions of the law to protect the interests of the institution,” he said.
Meanwhile, political analyst Dr G. Manimaran said Malay rulers have a special position in the Federal Constitution and the country’s administrative system, which must be protected and defended.
“The Malay rulers have their roles and functions. If we do not respect the Malay Rulers, who else? So, we must be fair to those who cannot defend themselves in open court, such as the Malay Rulers and heads of governments at the Yang di-Pertua level.
“As such, in this matter, politicians must be wise in raising any issues and we also need to act fairly in the issue of sovereignty of the Malay rulers. We need to know the limits and boundaries in politics and not damage the image, reputation, status and dignity of the Malay rulers,” he said.
He added that all parties need to know the limit when raising any issue, especially those related to religion, royalty and race (3R), including that related to the Malay rulers.
“Even though the Federal Constitution has provisions regarding freedom of speech, we must use the freedom wisely.
“Many have raised their concerns about the Sedition Act, but at the same time, we have other laws that can be used if issues are raised without basis, such as defamation laws,” he said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when winding up the debate on the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan at the Dewan Rakyat, said any legal action taken against parties who insult the Royal institution is done to defend its sovereignty.
He said it is to ensure justice for the Rulers whose stature goes beyond political boundaries, adding that it would be unreasonable for them to be dragged into political matters. – BERNAMA
