From: sca-news@slic.cellbio.duke.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Malaysia newsbrief Apr/5
Date: 6 Apr 92 02:42:25 GMT
Originator: jit@slic.cellbio.duke.edu

Forwarded from SEASIA-L
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Newsgroups:   bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Sun, 5 Apr 1992 19:06:01 PDT
Reply-To: Southeast Asia Discussion List <SEASIA-L%MSU.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
From: Indonesia Publications/Task Force <apakabar@IGC.ORG>
Subject:      Kelantan Plan Disputed
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list SEASIA-L <SEASIA-L@MSU>
Status: OR

    Reuter, Kuala Lumpur, April 3 - A controversial plan by Malaysia's
Kelantan state to implement strict Islamic law needs Kuala Lumpur's
approval, a federal deputy minister said on Friday.
    "Capital punishment as prescribed in the Hudud laws comes under the
jurisdiction of the federal constitution," Abdul Hamid Othman, deputy
minister in the prime minister's department in charge of Islamic
affairs, was quoted as saying by the national Bernama news agency.
    Abdul Hamid said attempts to introduce Hudud laws had failed in
Islamic nations such as Sudan and Pakistan.
    "These laws failed because the people were not willing to accept
them," he said.
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Date:         Sun, 5 Apr 1992 19:07:08 PDT
Reply-To: Southeast Asia Discussion List <SEASIA-L%MSU.BitNet@pucc.PRINCETON.EDU>
From: Indonesia Publications/Task Force <apakabar@IGC.ORG>
Subject:      The Sultan's Car
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list SEASIA-L <SEASIA-L@MSU>
Status: OR

    Reuter, Kota Bharu, K.T. Arasu, April 3 - A row between a sultan and
the Malaysian government over his new Italian sports car has sparked
debate about the rights of the nine hereditary state rulers, who are
constitutionally above the law.
    Sultan Ismail Petra, ruler of Kelantan state, last month drove his
imported Lamborghini Diablo away from a customs area without paying 2.1
million ringgit ($813,950) in customs duties.
    "The law must be respected. And we will...make sure the process
takes place," said Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the most vocal
minister on the issue.
    Police say they will neither assist or stop customs officers trying
to enter the sultan's palaces. But Kelantan officials say the sultan
will not surrender the car or pay the duties.
    "The sultan will not surrender the car or pay the duties as he had
obtained the Kelantan state government's approval to buy the car with
his own money," Fuad Hassan, the ruler's private secretary, said on
Friday.
    "The palaces belonging to Sultan Ismail Petra are protected areas
and out of bounds to customs officers," he told Reuters in Kota Bharu,
capital of the state which is controlled by the opposition party.
    Anwar says the sultan must pay duties as he had exceeded his
entitlement of seven duty-free luxury cars. Palace officials say
previous requests for exemption had always been granted and the
government is now harassing the sultan.
    "If they think they can use this issue to return UMNO to power they
are wrong," private secretary Fuad said, adding that the publicity
against the sultan had angered Kelantanese.
    Analysts say the car issue could backfire on UMNO and further
alienate Kelantan from Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's ruling coalition.