From: wslee@almond-frost.ai.mit.edu (Whay S. Lee)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Sultan/Agong
Date: 27 Jan 1993 16:25:02 GMT
Organization: MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: almond-frost.ai.mit.edu

In article <1993Jan26.123601.7479@gw.wmich.edu>, x92raja1@gw.wmich.edu writes:
|> 
|> 	We must understand how long ago that our Prime Minister wanted to
|> abolish the rulings of the Sultans and Kings. Bit by bit he is deterioting
|> the powers of the Sultans just because some of them have showed obliviences
|> towards him as the PM. 

	Now that the sultans can do no more than regular citizens, and the Executive 
has so much influance in the Legislature [remember the supreme court judge case a few
years ago?] , and that UMNO has more than enough seats in the parliament to amend 
the constitution at will , and that Dr. M holds the ISA/OSA/whateverSA, 
it seems to me that Dr. M now  has no less than absolute power in M'sia ....  

	Anyone thought about the implication of that on the basic concept
of democracy ?   Perviously, the sultans/agongs had *some* control over the
government, acting as watchdogs [please pardon the word, used in lack of more
accurate wording], and the government had some control over them , and so there
was at least some separation of power .. 

|> 	It is true that Sultans should not interfere with our country's
|> economic policy and the way our country is safe-guarding against any
|> outside intervention. But we should still keep Sultans as the head of
|> man, country, and it's religion. And we should still look up to them in 
|> many a way, and respect as we have done before, in the early decades.

	As far as I am concern, the "sultan" and "agong" are symbols of
the country, the symbols whose purpose is to command loyalty from all Malaysians.
The Malaysia community is made up of people of such diversed background and
roots, we have so many differences amongst us.  The sultan/agong symbols,
I think, represent the unity of Malaysia dispite all the differences, and
they are the ** focal point ** of our loyalty towards the coutry.

	Note that when I say "sultan" and "agong", I refer to the position
as a social institution,  not the particular persons holding the said positions.

	Now that the government has explicitly denounced the sultans
as the supreme heads of states,  I am at a lost as to whom/what should the people
redirect the feelings they have had for the sultan, as a symbol of M'sia's
unity and sovereignty, and its unique flavor of democracy .

	Personally,  while I respect Dr. M and others for what they have done
for M'sia, I doubt if they could command the same kind of feelings that would
unite the people of M'sia ... 

|> 	It is also true that some privileges should be considered in the
|> near future, but I have also seen that some people who are related to the
|> Sultan, taking big privileges. I say, take away privileges other then the
|> Sultan and his family (i.e. his sons and daughters), to the ones who are 
|> not closely related to him.
	
	I agree. that should have been the way ..

|> 	Of course, it is easier said then done, but if anyones the head of
|> the government should and would be able to see that, our Sultans are still
|> borned with a sense of respect and honor. But I've also understood the way
|> some of our Sultans behaving misdeamourningly. That, I really don't under-
|> stand. And that is the way what our PM has done to strip their immunity of
|> the law. I feel that something of that sort should've been done some years
|> back, and it has be done. If no one can stand against Sultans, when rights
|> have been strip of backs of commoners and countrymen, I don't see
|> why Sultans shouldn't be given a sense of common of their own.

	The sultans/agong derive their income from the government, and the
government has the power to amend the constitution.   Therefore, while
the agong/sultans are suppose to keep an eye on the government's action,
I think it is also the government's responsibility to keep the sultan's
actions under check.  

	I am curious what actions Dr. M has taken before this incident
to pursuade the sultans to re-think their own behavior ( and to discipline
those in their families ).  Perhaps if the sultans were earlier threatened 
[again, please pardon the word] with what has happened recently, things 
would have been different ?     I don't know, I am just guessing ....

	As concerning the behavior of those sultans whom many consider as
"bad", 	"Let he who has no sin throw the first stone ..."
	
	Allow me to stress again that the central thought of my words here
concerns the sultan/agong as a social institution, not the particular 
persons holding the positions.

	Daulat Tuanku.


whay.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean