Anwar: Nothing personal in PM’s disagreements with Johor Palace
PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the ongoing public spat with the Johor Palace, saying that there is nothing personal in the escalating feud
“The issue is not personal. The prime minister wants to ensure the constitutional spirit is observed and I think we are with him on that,” the PKR president said yesterday.
Anwar reportedly made the comment in Sandakan after a walkabout with DAP’s candidate Vivian Wong for the constituency’s upcoming by-election.
At a press conference on Pakatan Harapan’s first anniversary in power, Dr Mahathir called Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim a “little boy” and said that he should not talk publicly about matters when he may not have full knowledge about them.
The row between the two worsened after the resignation of Datuk Osman Sapian as the state mentri besar and Putrajaya’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which led to a public tiff on the powers of state rulers as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
Last month, Tunku Ismail told outsiders to stay out of Johor’s affairs and even stated that the people need to change the prime minister.
The Johor Crown Prince also claimed the Johor royal family was a victim of “character assassination” and was being unfairly criticised over the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project.
Following Dr Mahathir’s remarks, the Prime Minister’s special media adviser Datuk A. Kadir Jasin called upon the authorities to probe taxes paid by Mados Sdn Bhd, a company believed to be linked to the Johor royalty.