Not good for the monarchy

[kensington]

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysiakini published the article below about Chua Jui Meng’s two datukships being withdrawn by the Johor Palace. The other Chua however, Chua Soi Lek, the MCA President, did not suffer the same fate. He did not even suffer this fate when he first got caught on video in a compromising position and admitted that the man in the video is him instead of just saying, “It sounds like me, looks like me, but he’s too ugly to be me.”

I am yet to find out what Chua Jui Meng’s crime is to warrant his datukships getting withdrawn. It must have been a very serious crime though, and we shall soon find out I suppose.

In the past, datuks who were sent to jail for fraud, embezzlement, corruption, murder, and many more such serious crimes never had their datukships withdrawn. Going by these ‘standards’, Chua Jui Meng’s crime must be more serious than fraud, embezzlement, corruption, murder, and whatnot. It can’t be just because he resigned from MCA and joined PKR unless that is considered more serious than fraud, embezzlement, corruption, murder, etc.

I hope and pray that what Chua Jui Meng committed is a most foul crime indeed -- more serious than fraud, embezzlement, corruption, murder, or whatever. If not, that will not bode well for the palace.

As it is, it is so difficult to defend the institution of the monarchy. It is a hard enough job to convince many Malaysians that Malaysia should retain the monarchy and not be turned into a republic after what happened in Perak and the role the palace was perceived to have played in the ouster of the Pakatan Rakyat state government.

I always argue that we should not abolish the monarchy just because of the misconduct of some of the Rulers. In that same spirit we can’t abolish the police force just because many police personnel commit crimes and are more a problem than the criminals they are supposed to protect us against. But it is becoming harder and harder for me to use this argument in the defence of the monarchy.

Let me again say what I have already said many times in the past. The future of the monarchy lies in the hands of the Rulers themselves. The conduct of the Rulers over this generation will determine whether the next generation calls for the end of the monarchy. I will not be around by then so it really would not concern me the least. So whether this generation of Rulers want to see their sons succeed the throne is entirely up to them. If not there may no longer be any throne to hand over.



*************************************************


The Johor palace has revoked two awards conferred upon MCA-turned-PKR man Chua Jui Meng. One carries the title 'Datuk, the other 'Datuk Seri'.

Chua - who now sits on the PKR supreme council - said Johor Royal Council Secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli had called him twice asking for him to return all his medals today.

(Abdul Rahim) told me that my two datuk-ships have been revoked," Chua, who was Health Minister from 1995 till 2004, told Malaysiakini.

Chua had been conferred the awards by the late Johor Sultan, Sultan Mahmud Iskandar.

They were the 'Dato Paduka Makhota Johor' and the 'Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor". Chua said Abdul Rahim refused to tell him the reason for the revocation stating that the palace was not obliged to reveal its reasons.

Chua was formerly an MCA vice-president. He left the party after an unsuccessful attempt at the president's post in the 2008 party election. He joined PKR in 2009.

He, however, will still retain his 'Datuk' honorific as he had also been conferred state awards in 2002 and 2003 by both Pahang and Selangor respectively which carry the title. -- Malaysiakini

http://malaysia-today.net/index.php...a-coin&catid=20:no-holds-barred&Itemid=100087

 

[kensington]

Speculation is rife that MCA president Chua Soi Lek and his colleagues in Johor Umno are behind the Sultan’s decision to take back the two datukships from Chinese leader Chua Jui Meng.

The reason: to publicly discredit Jui Meng and prevent Johor from falling to the Pakatan Rakyat in the next general election.




“It is another diabolical BN plot. When you have Umno as the boss and a man like Soi Lek in charge of the MCA, this is the sort of dirt you get,” an MCA watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

The news shocked the country as the withdrawal of titular awards rarely occurs and only when the recipient has committed a major crime, like murder or embezzlement.

Even Soi Lek, who was filmed having extra-marital sex and performing unnatural sexual acts against the order of nature, was never asked to return his datukship.

“I am very saddened by this but I was warned that the Mentri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman would ask the Sultan to take back the titles if I joined Anwar,” Jui Meng told Malaysia Chronicle.

The 67-year old joined Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's PKR last year, citing disenchantment with the BN’s unwillingness to carry out reforms.

All eyes are now on another former senior BN leader - ex-law minister Zaid Ibrahim - to see if he will also be asked to surrender his datukship.

Still influential

A top leader in the Chinese community, Jui Meng was among the five most powerful men in the MCA during his heyday. Despite leaving the party, he still wields influence in Malaysia’s southernmost state, where he was the Bakri MP for five terms until 2004.

Jui Meng was also the longest-serving Health Minister from 1995 to 2004. But recently, he publicly crossed swords with Soi Lek, whom he described as untrustworthy and treacherous compared to former MCA president Ong Tee Keat.

Soi Lek beat Tee Keat in the recent MCA party polls and has already acted to have Tee Keat dropped from the Cabinet and his followers ousted from positions of power within the MCA.

Despite public outcry and accusations of nepotism, Soi Lek also insisted on securing a deputy minister-ship for his son Tee Yong, the MP for Labis.

“This is a Johor power play. But it is not just Soi Lek. Frankly, he doesn’t have the guts to move alone without the backing of top Johor Umno leaders. Muhyiddin’s name has also been mentioned,” the MCA watcher said. He was referring to Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Justice for Jui Meng

Meanwhile, Jui Meng – who says he will keep his official medals until a formal notification from the Palace – promises to step up his campaign for change.

“It is not the Sultan’s fault. To an extent, he is also a victim of our political system,” Jui Meng said.

A devout Christian, Jui Meng helped the Pakatan win the Sibu by-election last month, reaching out to the thousands of Christians in the East Malaysian constituency with his suave and persuasive oratory.

PKR leaders have reaffirmed their support for him, a member of their supreme council and political bureau.

“We urge the Malaysian Chinese throughout the country, especially in Johor, to take note of what is happening. We also ask the same of the Malaysian Christians especially those in Johor - please take note of what is happening,” PKR director of strategy Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Gauge for yourselves whether Jui Meng has been fairly treated and then show your anger and protest at the ballot boxes. Jui Meng deserves justice, he has served the community and the nation long enough."

http://malaysia-chronicle.blogspot.com/2010/06/jui-meng-victim-of-johor-power-play-by.html
http://malaysia-today.net/index.php...&catid=16:from-around-the-blogs&Itemid=100132

 

[elephanto]

by allowing political persuasion to influence award/withdrawal of royal awards, the royalty is simply devaluing their own royal titles .....

 

[KuanTi01]

by allowing political persuasion to influence award/withdrawal of royal awards, the royalty is simply devaluing their own royal titles .....

In all fairness, imho I believe the Johor monarchy tried its best to stay above the political fray but like the earlier episode in Perak had shown, the Sultanate is quite vulnerable in matters other than Islam. It's a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Money politics, political patronage, nepotism, cronyism, political pressure etc held sway. The eye is always looking ahead to the next GE! Old loyalties and past liaisons do not count for much in a fast-changing political landscape. Elsewhere, the Monarchy is or has lost steam! We remember Nepal and we fear for Thailand.:o

 

[kensington]

by allowing political persuasion to influence award/withdrawal of royal awards, the royalty is simply devaluing their own royal titles .....

Same old, same old....

Just his way of pronouncing that he is available for hatchetman's job.(JV available !!!)

In all fairness, imho I believe the Johor monarchy tried its best to stay above the political fray but like the earlier episode in Perak had shown, the Sultanate is quite vulnerable in matters other than Islam. It's a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. Money politics, political patronage, nepotism, cronyism, political pressure etc held sway. The eye is always looking ahead to the next GE! Old loyalties and past liaisons do not count for much in a fast-changing political landscape. Elsewhere, the Monarchy is or has lost steam! We remember Nepal and we fear for Thailand.:o

The UMNO stripped the sultans' power and filled the vacuum. There is no independence from any of the royal households eversince and all their spats were well documented and archived.

The monarchy seemed to be taken down a few pegs since Perak's fiasco and they risked alienating other Muslims other than UMNO's. The writing on the wall from well before independent but the royal patronage in the feudal mindsets of ordinary Malays are still very much sought-after. Will that lasts after the realisation that none of their so-called sultans are Malays, hahaha...

Give them enough ropes, they will hang themselves.

 

[elephanto]

Personally,

I am FOR retaining Malay Royalty & the continuation of the status of Sultans in Malay anthropology.

Of course, those royalty better wake up their ideas & lead & live worthy to the esteem accorded to them.

The reasons:-
(1) the pride & focus of loyalty for the Orang Melayu
(2) a rallying centre & unifying source for Malay Culture
(3) the only remaining non-Islamic symbol of the Malay race

No 3 is my favourite reason.

Since political consciousness was born amongst Malays, the 'Islamic colonialists' would like to equate Malay=Muslim hence the term Malay-Muslim.

The connotation is all things Middle-Eastern & Arabic in origin henceforth become automatically 'Islamic' like tudung & turban for the desert-ravaged arabs & its ridiculous irrelevance to the hot tropics where happy Malays of an earlier age toil under the coconut trees & womanfolk run their households in attap huts in kampongs appropriately attired for this climate.

But no, when Islam spread to these shores, the Arabs also reinforce their customs & practices & dress codes as 'Islamic', ending all dissent.

I believe Malay Culture must be differentiated & distinguished from the Middle-Eastern Arabic Cultures.

And for all its flaws, Malay Royalty is a powerful symbol of Malay Culture.

Otherwise, sooner or later, adoration for ulamas like Nik Aziz may escalate to idolatry of the likes of Osama Bin Laden etc.

No offence to Muslims & Malays.

Just my personal opinion.

 

[po2wq]

wait pkr take over johor in nex erections ... :o