Malaysian Royal Row Threatens 9 Thrones

The “annus horribilis” of Queen Elizabeth II was a similarly bad tahun buruk for the various monarchs of Malaysia, who are having a row with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed.

Malaysia’s nine hereditary rulers also can anticipate a pretty grim 1993.

In December, Mahathir cited the problems of the British royals in support of his plans to change the status of the local kings. The prime minister described his proposals as a way to keep the constitutional monarchy from falling into disrepute.

He promises to curb excesses by rogue rulers, and appears to have public opinion on his side.

With control of more than 80% of the seats in Parliament, Mahathir should have no trouble passing constitutional amendments to end the rulers’ immunity from prosecution and their right to pardon themselves and members of their families for any offense.

His proposals also cover changes to the sedition provisions that would lift a ban on criticizing the kings publicly.

But there is a hitch: The constitution says any changes in regal privilege must be unanimously approved by the Council of Rulers--the nine monarchs.

In Parliament in December, Deputy Premier Ghafar Baba cautioned the rulers not to use their veto power.

“Final authority lies in the hands of the people,” he said, “and they can act by using methods outside the constitution to abolish the monarchy if they feel that it no longer serves them or if there is no further need for it.”

Ghafar warned the kings, in effect, that their survival may depend on how they respond to the constitutional changes.

The government’s attack on royal prerogatives stems from an outcry over alleged assaults on commoners by the ruler of Johore state, Sultan Mahmood Iskandar Ismail, 60.

Mahmood has a record of erratic behavior. Shahidan Kassim, a government member of Parliament, referred to “23 incidents of rape and beatings” since 1972 involving Mahmood and his son.

In 1977, Mahmood, then crown prince, was convicted of manslaughter. He avoided a prison term and fine only through his father’s pardon.

Nine of Malaysia’s 13 states have royal families. The head of one is elected by secret ballot of his fellow monarchs to a five-year term as king of kings for the entire nation.

Mahmood of Johore ruled Malaysia in 1984-1989 and was succeeded by Sultan Azlan Shah of Perak, formerly the country’s highest-ranking judge.

Stories abound of the animosity between the current paramount king, or yang di-pertuan agong (one who is chief among the most prominent) and his predecessor.

It was Azlan, while still a judge, who convicted Mahmood of manslaughter.

Western diplomats say Azlan frowns on those who appear before him in dark blue clothing because that is Mahmood’s favorite color.

When Queen Elizabeth visited Malaysia after he became paramount king in 1989, the royal box at the Selangor Turf Club was hurriedly repainted because the dominant color was the banned dark blue.

On state occasions, the yang di-pertuan agong wears trousers with gold braid topped by a short sarong trimmed with gold. The ensemble is completed by a coat dripping with medals and trimmed with more gold, and headgear of gold-threaded cloth.

A gold-handled kris, a dagger with a wavy double-edged blade 15 inches long, symbolizes royal authority.

When Malaysia shed its colonial ties with Britain in 1957, the elective national monarchy solved a sticky protocol problem because none of the state rulers would have been accepted by the others as permanent head of state.

Seven states refer to their rulers as sultans. Perlis has a raja and Negri Sembilan calls its leader or “one who is chief of state.”

Each of the nine has more than one palace and most have more than one wife, as allowed by Muslim custom. Ceremonial drums and large retinues accompany them on state occasions. The Johore sultan often wears a uniform as commander-in-chief of his 200-man army.

The awarding of honors on her birthday by Queen Elizabeth has its counterpart in Malaysia on the first Wednesday in June, designated as the king’s official birthday. Hundreds of titles and awards are given.

Tun, tan seri and are among the many hereditary or conferred titles borne by leading citizens.

Rulers are the traditional guardians in their own states of Islam, the country’s official religion, and of the rights of ethnic Malays, who make up more than half the population of 18 million. The country has substantial Chinese and Indian minorities.

The attempt to end legal immunity is the latest episode in a long feud between the monarchs and the 12-year-old Mahathir administration.

Officials of the ruling United Malays National Organization have complained for years that some royals meddle in politics and engage in questionable business deals.

Last July, six of the nine state rulers were pressured to sign a 10-point code of ethics that forbids any direct or indirect role in party politics and bars the kings from “any commercial enterprise except by way of trust.”

Earlier in the year, Sultan Ismail Petra of Kelantan state annoyed Mahathir by zooming away in his new Italian-made Lamborghini Diablo without paying import duties.