TWO-TIME premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been told to take a permanent rest by some netizens after he claimed to have found an incongruity in a provision under Article 33A while browsing through the Federal Constitution.
Interestingly, the provision reads that the “Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall cease to exercise the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong if charged with an offence”.
“It is obvious that being charged with an offence is so serious that a person such as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would cease to exercise the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” the former Langkawi MP penned in his latest Facebook post.
“It does not say that he would have to be found guilty before His Majesty ceases to exercise his function. Being charged is clearly serious enough for the constitution to prescribe the cessation of his function.”
But Dr Mahathir being the deft Dr Mahathir that many Malaysians are already accustomed to was in no way trying to undermine the royal institution as much as to drive home the message that his nemesis and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has erred in selecting a Deputy Prime Minister (DPM).
“Now, what about a lesser functionary such as a DPM? He (purportedly referring to UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) has been charged with over 40 charges. Yet he is appointed a DPM and continues to hold that post,” pointed out the oldest Malaysian to contest in a national poll but sadly lost his deposit at the recently concluded 15th General Election (GE15).
“Is the DPM a more senior functionary that he should be better treated than the Yang di-Pertuan Agong?” quipped the nonagenarian (97 years-old). “There is a need for Reform here, me thinks. Okay. I will look after my grandchildren now. Just ignore this.”
Well, netizens whose respect for the once highly regarded ex-premier has thinned ever since the Sheraton Move conspiracy which toppled the 22-month-old Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration in February 2020 were quick to rebut Dr Mahathir’s hidden motive.
Below are some verbatim comments from netizens: – Dec 30, 2022
