Malaysian royalties – We are back!

A royal battle has started between the Crown Prince of Johore and the Tourism Minister Nazri Aziz after Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim commented about Najib’s absence from the 1MDB public forum.  Nazri was unhappy with Tunku Ismail’s comment as interference in politics and commented ‘the royalty was not above the law and should not comment on politics, “otherwise he will be subject to the same rule and we will whack him”’.  This has drawn a response from the Crown Prince saying ‘Do not think the people of this country exist to provide you with position and wealth; the positions exist for you to serve the people.’

A police report has been made against Nazri and he is now under police investigation. And Mahathir has come out in support of the Prince for freedom of expression. What is more important is the comment by the Sultan of Johore that Malaysia could learn from Singapore in its education policy. He reflected on the switch to teach mathematics and science in English and then back to Malay and how it has affected the performance of Malay students in these two subjects. Related to this is the lower proficiency of English among the Malays and the breakdown in national unity with the difference races attending different schools.

Would Nazri also think that this is another attempt by the royalty to be involved in politics? Since the removal of legal immunity by Mahathir in 1993, the royalties have taken a low profile in the politics of the country. Now both father and son of the Johore Royalty are in the limelight again. Would this mark the return of the royalties to play a bigger role in the politics of Malaysia? The timing is expedient with the politicians creating a mess of themselves and weakening their positions as the legal and moral authority of the country. This provides the royalties to stand on high moral ground to say their piece about what is happening to the country and to have a bigger say as rulers and protectors of the people.

How would this new dimension affect the political ethos of Malaysia? Would the royalties return as another force to be reckoned with after an eclipse of 20 years from the political affairs of the country. Would Mahathir and the royalties join hands in a new coalition of forces to take on the ruling govt? Such a possibility would put UMNO on the defensive and would further weaken its hold to power and the support of the Malay ground. It could mark the return of the royalties from the cold to the thick of Malaysian politics and a bigger influence in the affairs of the country.