Stay out of politics: Karpal tells royalty
Malaysiakini.com
Apr 29, 2008 
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz 

If the royalty deems it fit to make statements on political issues, they should also be prepared to face the consequences of entering the political arena, said DAP national chairman Karpal Singh today.
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For this reason, the veteran politician said, the royalty should not delve into politics at all.

12th malaysia parliament king officiate 290408 karpal singh pc"I hope the royalty will not delve in politics. If it does, then it must be prepared to be criticised for whatever they say," he said at a press conference at the Parliament lobby.

Karpal was responding to criticisms against him by Kelantan Umno information chief Md Alwi Che Ahmad.

Alwi was reported to have said that it was improper for Karpal to drag the Regent of Kelantan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra into the political game by lodging a police report against him.

"If the Tengku Mahkota wants to get involved in politics, he should abdicate as crown prince and take part in politics. Stand for elections," countered the opposition politician.

Faris told a Malay unity gathering earlier this month that the special rights and privileges of the Malays were in return for the grant of citizenship in 1957 to 2.7 million people of other races upon independence.

As such, Faris said, nobody should challenge the Malay rights and privileges. He also said such challenges were becoming apparent following the recent general election.

Anti-royalty issue does not arise

Following this, Karpal filed a police report against the crown prince for alleged sedition.

Alwi, however, described Karpal’s act as being tantamount to having no regard for the Malay royal institution.

"When Karpal Singh hurt the Malays with his remarks in the past, did they seek retribution?" Alwi was quoted as saying by The Star.

Karpal responded by saying: "The question of being anti-royalty does not arise. The Tengku Mahkota of Kelantan saw it fit to descend into the political arena by making a statement early this month that the non-Malays should not ask for equal rights."

Such a statement had the potential to create "ill-will" between the races, he added.

Asked regarding the ambivalence of political parties - which welcome the intervention of royalties when it serves their purpose but disapprove of it when it does not - Karpal said he was merely criticising Faris for having done "something that is clearly against the law".

'Death threat' police report

On another matter, Karpal said he cannot withdraw a police report he had lodged on a death threat made against him even though the youth who posted the offending comment had reportedly apologised.

Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, lodged the report against the commentator - identified only as ‘Alif’ - for threatening his life on a PAS Johor-related website over the Islamic state issue.

Although he accepted the apology, Karpal said he could not accede to the latter’s request to withdraw the police report as that matter was not in his hands but that of the attorney-general.

"I would not want in any way to jeopardise his future," he said, adding that he hoped PAS Johor "would be more careful when allowing its website to be used for the purpose of maligning or intimidating, or for that matter, calling for the murder of someone."

On the youth’s plea for him to withdraw the police report, Karpal said: "By law, once a police report has been lodged, it cannot be withdrawn."

"However, the attorney-general requires an investigation to be made and then to decide."

Letter from Mongolia

According to Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution, the sole prerogative to prosecute lies with the attorney-general.

"I’ll be writing to the attorney-general as public prosecutor not to prosecute this boy," he said.

In the same press conference, Karpal distributed to reporters copies of a letter from the Mongolian Foreign Affairs Ministry to Malaysian parliamentarians urging them to continue observing the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.

The letter, signed by Mongolian Foreign Minister S Oyun, also appealed for the MPs to ensure that the trial be fair and free from any political influence.

Yesterday, Altantuya’s father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev, came to the Parliament building in hopes of personally delivering his letter to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

However, he failed to do so.

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