Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Opposition agrees on royal assent for Islamic matters

Opposition agrees on royal assent for Islamic matters

Alliance also calls for boycott of popular Malay daily

(Malaysian Insider) KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The three leaders of Pakatan Rakyat said yesterday they agree that the sultans' assent must be obtained prior to any action against officers associated with the state Islamic religious councils.

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the stand of DAP chairman Karpal Singh on the matter was the personal opinion of the Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament from the legal perspective.

"It was clarified to us by Karpal Singh that it was never his intention to insult the sultans," they said in a joint statement they signed and issued at the Parliament lobby.

The trio said Pakatan Rakyat was firm in its stand in upholding the position of the rulers as constitutional monarchs as provided for in the Federal Constitution.

Karpal Singh has been criticised of late for having made controversial statements against the sultans and other rulers In another statement, the three leaders called for the boycott of the Utusan Malaysia and Mingguan Malaysia newspapers from yesterday for allegedly carrying unfair and irresponsible reports.

They said the two newspapers criticised the Opposition parties of purportedly still conducting the election campaign which had ended prior to the general election on March 8.

"Although there are signs that the mainstream newspapers controlled by the Barisan Nasional and Umno have begun to change and were a little more open, they are generally still unfair and biased," they said. — Bernama

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