Don’t mix politics with rulers space, TMJ taken to task
PUCHONG: Negeri Sembilan Bersatu chief Tan Sri Rais Yatim took to Twitter in telling off Johor Crown Prince, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim to refrain against making political remarks as it is a different ball game altogether. Tunku Ismail is better known as TMJ.
“TMJ is talking a lot about politics. Please stop jesting calls for the prime to be replaced. That’s the right of the common people,” he wrote in Bahasa Malaysia.
“If you want to talk about politics, please sign up with a political party. The space for a ruler differs from politics. Don’t mix it up to your taste as a prince.
“It will cause the people to be in chaos. Please be mindful,” he said.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself addressed this issue from Beijing.
“We need to remember the past when a crown prince had to abdicate and the position was given to his younger brother. That’s the crown prince, a crown prince can be changed. Only the people can change the prime minister, not just anybody or someone who thinks he is big,” he said.
“He’s not big, he’s a small fry. If he thinks he’s big, go and vote and bring me down,” Dr Mahathir sarcastically replied to a question regarding TMJ’s recent remarks.
Bersatu supreme council member Mohd Rafiq Naizamohideen was the first to take TMJ to task yesterday.
“Political parties that win the election have the power and right to decide the position of the prime minister.
“Everyone, including the royal institution, needs to respect the people’s choice made in the last general election,” he said in a statement.
In a recently viral video, the Tunku Mahkota Johor was seen leaving the Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin, Johor, after football club Johor Darul Ta’zim’s 0-1 defeat to Shandong Luneng in the AFC Champions League last Wednesday night.
Some of the fans chanted “Hidup TMJ” (long live TMJ, in reference to Tunku Ismail’s title) but one shouted “change Mora”, referring to the football team’s coach Benjamin Mora.
Tunku Ismail’s vehicle suddenly stopped and the crown prince stuck his head out of the window and said: “Instead of changing Mora, it’s better to change the prime minister”.
