Utusan says will snub Johor palace over criticism on new bill

Utusan Malaysia today said it would not answer any royal summons to appear before the Sultan of Johor, following the paper's criticism against a controversial plan to include the ruler in the state's administration.

"It is not right for the Sultan to besmear the august position he occupies by dealing directly with a media editor," said Awang Selamat, the pseudonym for the paper's collective editorial.
"Even Awang as an editor would not want to answer any summons to appear before the Sultan," he wrote, adding that it was different if the invitation was to others palace events "where all parties are comfortable".
The Umno mouthpiece said if the Johor palace was unhappy with the criticism and wanted to reprimand or clarify, it could send a representative to meet the daily's editors.
Utusan said it was improper for Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar to deal directly with a paper's editor.
The daily, however, denied that it had received any such order from the royal household.
"Awang does not think that Sultan Ibrahim will cheapen his status as a ruler by calling Utusan Malaysia to appear before him.
"Awang believes that Sultan Ibrahim, although known to be firm, is a gentleman. Moreover, times have also changed," wrote the paper, adding that the media must stop being "overly worried about criticism" involving the rulers.
"This is the common question among media practitioners every time a sensitive issue arises regarding the Johor palace.
"The anxiety of media practitioners towards this issue should stop immediately," said Utusan, adding that "there is no reason for such anxiety" in today's new media landscape.
Awang said there was no reason for high-ranking palace officials to reprimand reporters and editors.
Instead, he said in other countries with monarchies, it was a common practice for the media to send their representatives to the palace.
"That is how it is done in palaces in Europe, Japan and Thailand, even the royal institutions in other states in Malaysia. This is to avoid misunderstandings as if parties are being bullied."
Last week, Utusan Malaysia reported that the Johor state government would propose a bill for the establishment of the Johor Property and Housing Commission (JPHC), which effectively allows the Johor ruler to be directly involved in the state's administration.
The bill has been criticised by many quarters including constitutional experts, who argue that it is against the Constitution and parliamentary democracy. – June 8, 2014.