Johor tables amended property bill, sultan’s power limited or removed entirely

The Johor government today tabled the controversial Housing and Real Property Board Bill 2014 in the state assembly, with amendments that either limited or removed the Johor Sultan’s power in the proposed housing board.

The amendments no longer give the sultan the power to determine the remuneration or allowances of board members in the Johor Property and Housing Commission (JPHC).
The sultan’s power to direct any person to investigate the books, accounts and transactions of the board has been removed, and he no longer can direct the board to be wound up and dissolved.
The board no longer has to submit to the ruler the accounts, an estimate of the expenses the following year or a report of its activities in the preceding year. Nor does it require the sultan’s approval to establish a corporation.
Instead, all those powers are vested solely in the state authority.
Similarly, the sultan can only appoint members of the board on the advice of the menteri besar. The sultan’s approval for the appointment of the director is also on the advice of the menteri besar.
Meanwhile, either the sultan or the menteri besar can decide to revoke a member’s appointment, as opposed to the sultan having the sole authority to do so.
The bill was tabled today by executive councillor Abdul Latiff Bandi. – June 9, 2014.

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.