The Untold Story of the Perak Constitutional Crisis: Royal GREED Versus the Perak People's MANDATE

Read here for more article in Malaysia-Today

Baca di sini artikel dalam Bahasa, "Mengapa Pakatan Rakyat Perak dijatuhkan?" or Read BELOW after the English article



The Enrichment of the Perak Royal Household's Wealth with the Compliments of UMNO/ BN Government (at the expense of Perakian's popular mandate)

From left: Tunku Datuk Seri Kamil Tunku Rijaldin and his wife Raja Datuk Seri Yong Sofia, Datuk Seri Mohd Salleh Ismail and his wife Raja Datuk Seri Azureen, Raja Muda Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah and his wife Tuanku Zara Salim, Raja Kechil Tengah Perak Raja Datuk Seri Ashman Shah and his wife Datin Seri Noraini Jane, Raja Datuk Seri Eleena and her husband Datuk Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah.
(Photo courtesy of Malaysia-Today)

Quote

"... The Sultan was persuaded (by Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak) to reject the Pakatan Rakyat request to dissolve the State Assembly.

Najib’s "persuasion’" was simple. Nazrin, his son, should NOT be the Raja Muda of Perak. And this means he should also not be the next Sultan.

So, Nazrin’s succession to the Perak throne depends on the goodwill of the FEDERAL government.

If Pakatan Rakyat remains the state government, then expect Nazrin to pay the price when his time comes to succeed his father.

Furthermore, the Sultan and his family has asked for a lot of things from the Pakatan Rakyat state government, all of which they rejected.

Umno will ensure that the Sultan and his family get whatever they want if Barisan Nasional takes over as the Perak state government.

And with that Pakatan Rakyat’s fate was sealed. The Sultan swore in Barisan Nasional as the new Perak state government and Pakatan Rakyat was sent into the opposition aisle.

In just a few months the (Perak) Sultan and his family has suddenly become one of the richest royal families in Malaysia, of course, at the expense of Pakatan Rakyat.

Perakians, in particular the Malays, think that the opposition is not showing the Sultan of Perak the respect he deserves.

What they do not know is the (Perak) Sultan does NOT deserve any respect.

And many are also not aware why the Sultan wanted Pakatan Rakyat kicked out of Perak."
-Raja Petra Kamarudin

Why the Pakatan Rakyat government was brought down in Perak

by

Raja Petra Kamarudin

We all know what happened in Perak. What many do not know is WHY it happened.

If you can remember, it took one week for the Perak and Selangor state governments to get sworn in after the March 2008 general election. The Sultans of these two states wanted to first ‘discuss the matter’ with the Pakatan Rakyat State Assemblypersons. The Sultans then set certain terms and conditions before agreeing to swear in the new Pakatan Rakyat state governments.

This gap of one week allowed the old Barisan Nasional state governments time to remove and destroy quite a lot of very damaging evidence of the wrongdoings of the previous governments.

The one-week delay also allowed Barisan Nasional to negotiate the possibility of PAS teaming up with Umno to form the state governments in Perak and Selangor. Umno even agreed that PAS would become the Menteris Besar of these two states. And, to add icing to the cake, Umno even agreed to allow PAS to implement Islamic laws in these two states.

But PAS stayed loyal to their two other partners in Pakatan Rakyat, PKR and DAP, and they declined Umno’s offer. Finally, the two Sultans had no choice but to swear in the Pakatan Rakyat state governments in Perak and Selangor. But this did not stop them from plotting behind the scenes on how to bring down the governments.

The Sultan of Selangor was quite prepared to consider the whole matter a fait accompli. After all, Pakatan Rakyat in Selangor had a clear majority and it would be quite difficult to buy off so many State Assemblypersons.

But Perak was another matter altogether. Pakatan Rakyat’s majority in Perak was thinner than in Selangor.

As soon as the new state government had been put in place, the Sultan of Perak began asking for this, that and the other. The Pakatan Rakyat Perak state government would have been quite prepared to tolerate some of the demands of the Perak Palace for the sake of maintaining a good relationship with the Palace. But what the Sultan and his family wanted was just too excessive and the Pakatan Rakyat Perak state government had no choice but to say no to the Sultan’s demands.

And this, of course, upset the Sultan. So, when Pakatan Rakyat lost its majority in the Perak State Assembly, it did not take too much persuading for the Sultan to agree to swear in a new Barisan Nasional state government.

At first, the Sultan was not too sure whether he should kick out the Pakatan Rakyat state government in favour of a Barisan Nasional government. When the Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar, Nizar Jamaluddin, went before the Sultan to request that the State Assembly be dissolved to make way for fresh state elections, the Sultan said he would think about it first. But immediately after that the Prime Minister, Najib Tun Razak, went to meet the Sultan and the Sultan was persuaded to reject the Pakatan Rakyat request to dissolve the State Assembly and instead he swore in Barisan Nasional as the new state government.

Najib’s ‘persuasion’ was simple. Nazrin, his son, should not be the Raja Muda of Perak. And this means he should also not be the next Sultan. And in the event that the Sultan dies, as surely he will one day, the federal government will not support Nazrin as the next Sultan of Perak. See what happened to Negeri Sembilan. Although the Yamtuan appointed his son as the regent, this does not mean he becomes the next Yamtuan.

(Note: Read here article on "Ascendancy to the Perak Throne)

Perak is the only state in Malaysia that the prince (son) will not automatically be installed as the successor upon the demise of the Sultan (father). Currently, there are six people who possess the right to be the next Sultan - the Raja Muda, the Raja DiHilir, the Raja Kechil Besar, The Raja Kechil Sulung, the Raja Kechil Tengah and the Raja Kechil Bongsu. Although it is not predetermined, the Raja Muda is usually made the new Sultan by the Dewan Negara Perak, which comprises dignitaries of the State.Read here for more

So, Nazrin’s succession to the Perak throne depends on the goodwill of the FEDERAL l government. But only if the state government is a Barisan Nasional government will there be this goodwill.

If Pakatan Rakyat remains the state government, then expect Nazrin to pay the price when his time comes to succeed his father.

Furthermore, the Sultan and his family has asked for a lot of things from the Pakatan Rakyat state government, all of which they rejected. Umno will ensure that the Sultan and his family get whatever they want if Barisan Nasional takes over as the Perak state government.

And with that Pakatan Rakyat’s fate was sealed. The Sultan swore in Barisan Nasional as the new Perak state government and Pakatan Rakyat was sent into the opposition aisle.

What was it that the Sultan and his family wanted which Pakatan Rakyat said no to and which Barisan Nasional has now said yes?

Yes, let us see how in just a few months the Sultan and his family has suddenly become one of the richest royal families in Malaysia, of course, at the expense of Pakatan Rakyat.

1. Umno gave the Sultan a piece of state land known as lot 183578. The land is approximately 600 acres in size and is at Tanjong Tualang in the district of Kinta. This land has been parked under the name of the Sultan’s proxy, Mohamed Khaair Johari Hj Osman.
   
   
2. Umno gave the Sultan a 1,000-acre timber concession along the 11km Gerik-Kupang highway in Ulu Kenderong, Gerik, Hulu Perak. This concession was originally given to Universiti Utara Malaysia. However, it was later revoked and given to Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak whose Chairman is Raja Datuk Seri Ashman Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Shah.
   
   
3. Umno gave the Sultan seven timber concessions at compartments 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 49 in the Kenderong Forest Reserve in Hulu Perak. The seven lots, which come to approximately 600 acres, were parked under two proxy companies of the Sultan -- Syarikat Zotonjaya Sdn Bhd and Kibaran Wang Sdn Bhd.
   
   
4. Umno is about to approve a proposal for reforestation involving 10,781 hectares. 5,781 hectares is at the Gunung Besout Forest Reserve in Southern Perak while 5,000 hectares is at Pondok Tanjung in the Larut Matang district. The company that will get this huge project is Permatang Utama Sdn Bhd (company registration number 513583-D) whose Executive Chairman is Datuk Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah, the Sultan’s son-in-law.
   
   
5. Further to that, Datuk Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah was allowed to take over the state-owned Casuarina Hotel in Ipoh for a negotiated cut throat price of only RM43 million whereas it can fetch a far higher price on the open market. The hotel is located in one of the most prime land in Ipoh and just the empty land alone is worth a huge amount of money.

It is not that the Perak Royal Family is destitute.

It is more like they are GREEDY.

Raja Datuk Seri Eleena Azlan Shah is a Director of GAMUDA BERHAD and is Malaysia's 25th richest person with assets worth over RM 773 million. This makes her the second richest woman in Malaysia after Puan Sri Chong Chook Yew, who occupies the number 18 slot with more than RM 1 billion in assets.

Gamuda Berhad has been awarded more than RM10 billion worth of contracts. It also operates and maintains 230 kilometres of highways plus is a major township and property developer with four township projects involving more than 30,000 houses.

(Note: Read here article, "Perak, PR, BN and Gamuda - It’s all about Business, Stupid"

An interesting fact about Gamuda - the LARGEST shareholder is also the second richest woman on the 2008 Forbes 40 Richest Malaysians at #35 spot. She is Raja Datuk Seri Eleena Raja Azlan Shah, the daughter of the Sultan of Perak, Raja Azlan Shah. She was worth RM773 Million ($228 Million) at #25 spot in 2007’s 40 Richest Malaysians but this figure dropped to RM510 Million ($150 Million) in 2008 at #35 spot. Based on today’s stock price of RM1.91 a share her fortune is only at RM287.46 million based on her remaining stake of 7.5% in Gamuda via Generasi Setia (M) Sdn Berhad.

Naturally when his father refused to dissolve the state assembly for a fresh election various rumors and speculations began its circulation. Malaysian politics is perhaps the dirtiest but you can’t blame the public to have a perception that the federal government was twisting the arms of the Sultan. Gamuda is basically at the mercy of the Federal government. With water taps closed by the federal government to three of the most developed states, Selangor, Perak and Penang, Gamuda is screaming for projects. Certainly the nation has the money. In fact the country is flushed with more money than before the Mar 2008 general election simply because the federal government does not know where to pump the money to since the most developed states such as Selangor, Perak (was) and Penang are controlled by opposition parties. Read here for more

So there you have it. Perakians, in particular the MALAYS, think that the opposition is not showing the Sultan of Perak the respect he deserves. What they (the MALAYS) do not know is the Sultan does NOT deserve any respect.

And many are also not aware WHY the Sultan wanted Pakatan Rakyat kicked out of Perak.

Now, we hope, THEY do.

RELATED ARTICLE

Bahasa translation of the above article by Raja Petra Kamarudin

Read here

Mengapa Pakatan Rakyat Perak dijatuhkan?

Kita semua tahu apa yang berlaku di Perak. Tetapi ramai yang tidak tahu, mengapa ia berlaku.

Sekiranya anda masih ingat, ianya mengambil masa seminggu untuk kerajaan baru di Perak dan Selangor mengangkat sumpah selepas pilihanraya umum Mach 2008. Kedua-dua Sultan dinegeri ini mahu ‘membincangkan’ terlebih dahulu dengan ADUN-ADUN Pakatan Rakyat.Sultan kemudiannya meletakkan beberapa syarat sebelum bersetuju untuk melantik Pakatan Rakyat sebagai kerajaan negeri yang baru.

Jurang masa selama seminggu itu telah memberika masa kepada kerajaan negeri yang lama iaitu Barisan Nasional untuk memindah dan memusnahkan banyak bukti-bukti penyelewengan yang dilakukan sebelum ini.

Kelewatan selama seminggu ini juga membolehkan Barisan Nasional menawarkan kemungkinan untuk Umno bergabung dengan Pas untuk membentuk kerajaan baru di Selangor dan Perak. Malah, Umno bersetuju memberikan kerusi Menteri Besar kepada Pas dikedua-dua negeri ini. dan kemuncaknya, Umno malah bersetuju untuk membenarkan Pas melaksanakan undang-undang Islam dikedua-dua negeri ini.

Tetapi, Pas terus bersama dengan dua rakan mereka, PKR dan DAP didalam Pakatan Rakyat dan menolak tawaran Umno. Akhirnya, kedua-dua Sultan tidak mempunyai pilihan melainkan menerima Pakatan Rakyat sebagai kerajaan baru di Perak dan Selangor. Tetapi ini tidak menghentikan mereka dari terus merancang dibelakang tabir tentang bagaimana untuk menjatuhkan kedua-dua kerajaan ini.

Sultan Selangor agak bersedia untuk menerima keadaan yang berlaku. Tambahan pula, Pakatan Rakyat Selangor mempunyai majoriti yang cukup banyak dan agak susah untuk membeli ramai Ahli Dewan Undangn Negeri. Tetapi, Perak agak berlainan sama sekali. Majoriti yang diperolehi oleh Pakatan Rakyat Perak amat sedikit berbanding Selangor.

Sebaik saja kerajaan baru dibentuk di Perak, Sultan Perak mula meminta macm-macam. Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Perak bersedia bertolak ansur, demi menjaga hubungan baik dengan istana. Tetapi apa yang diminta oleh Sultan dan kerabat diraja agak berlebihan dan kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Perak tidak mempunyai pilihan melainkan menolak permintaan Sultan.

Dan ini menyebabkan Sultan murka. Dan apabila Pakatan Rakyat Perak kehilangan majoriti di Dewan Undangan Negeri, Barisan Nasional mempunyai jalan yang amat mudah untuk mendapatkan perkenan untuk Barisan Nasional membentuk kerajaan baru.

Pada mulanya, Sultan Perak tidak begitu pasti sama ada hendak menyingkir kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat dan memilih Barisan Nasional. Apabila Menteri Besar, Nizar Jamaludin berjumpa dengan Sultan dan memohon Dewan Undangan Negeri dibubarkan untuk membolehkan pilihanraya baru diadakan, Sultan meminta masa untuk membuat pertimbangan. Tetapi sebaik saja selepas itu, Najib Tun Razak berjumpa Sultan dan mempengaruhi Sultan untuk menolak permohonan Pakatan Rakyat untuk membubarkan Dewan Undangan Negeri, sebaliknya melantik Barisan Nasional untuk membentuk kerajaan yang baru.

Taktik Najib amat mudah. Nazrin, anak kepada Sultan Azlan Shah, tidak sepatutnya menjadi Raja Muda. Dan ini bermakna, dia tidak sepatutnya menjadi Sultan kelak. sekiranya Sultan Azlan mangkat. Kerajaan Pusat tidak akan menyokong Nazrin sebagai Sultan Perak seterusnya. Lihatlah apa yang berlaku di Negeri Sembilan. walaupun Yamtuan melantik anaknya sebagai Raja Muda, tidak bererti dia akan menjadi Yamtuan.

Oleh itu, sama ada Nazrin boleh menjadi Sultan atau tidak bergantung kepada hubungan baik dengan kerajaan Pusat. Tetapi hubungan baik itu hanya boleh diperolehi sekiranya Barisan Nasional menjadi kerajaan negeri. Kalau Pakatan Rakyat masih lagi menjadi kerajaan negeri, maka Nazrin terpaksa membayar harganya apabila tiba masa untuk menggantikan bapanya.

Tambahan pula, Sultan dan keluarganya telah meminta banyak perkara dari kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat, semuanya telah ditolak. Umno pula akan memastikan bahawa semua permintaan Sultan dan keluarganya akan dipenuhi sekiranya Barisan Nasional dipilih sebagai kerajaan negeri.

Dan dengan itu, Pakatan Rakyat menemui ajalnya di Perak. Sultan memilih Barisan Nasional sebagai kerajaan negeri yang baru dan Pakatan Rakyat menjadi pembangkang.

Apakah permintaan Sultan dan keluarganya yang ditolak oleh Pakatan Rakyat dan sebaliknya diterima oleh Barisan Nasional? Mari kita tengok, dalam masa beberapa bulan saja, Sultan dan keluarganya tiba-tiba menjadi salah satu keluarga diraja yang terkaya di Malaysia, sebaik saja Pakatan Rakyat tumbang.

1. Umno menghadiahkan kepada Sultan sekeping tanah yang dikenali sebagai lot 183578. Tanah seluas kira-kira 600 ekar ini terletak di Tanjung Tualang, dalam daerah Kinta. Tanah ini telah di berikan kepada salah seorang proksi Sultan yang bernama Mohamed Khaair Johari Hj. Osman.

2. Umno menghadiahkan kepada Sultan konsesi balak seluas 1,000 ekar yang terletak di Ulu Kenderong, Gerik, Hulu Perak, disepanjang lebuhraya Gerik-Kupang. Konsesi ini pada mulanya diberikan kepada Universiti Utara Malaysia. Walaubagaimanapun, pemberian ini ditarik balik dan diberikan kepada Pusat Kreatif Kanak-Kanak dimana Pengerusinya ialah Raja Datuk Seri Ashman Shah Ibni Sultan Azlan Shah.

3. Umno menghadiahkan kepada Sultan tujuh konsesi balak di kompartmen 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 dan 49 di Hutan Simpan Kenderong di Hulu Perak. Ketujuh-tujuh lot ini, yang berjumlah kira-kira 600 ekar, diberikan kepada dua syarikat proksi Sultan - Syarikat Zotonjaya Sdn Bhd dan Kibaran Wang Sdn. Bhd.

4. Umno akan meluluskan satu cadangan penghutanan semula (reforestation) yang melibatkan 10,781 hektar. 5,781 hektar terletak di Hutan Simpan Gunung Besout, di selatan Perak wementara 5,000 hektar lagi di Pondok Tanjung dalam daerah Larut Matang. Syarikat yang akan mendapat projek ini ialah Permatang Utama Sdn. Bhd (nombor syarikat 513583-D) dimana Pengerusi Eksekutifnya ialah Datuk Seri Ismail Farouk Abdullah, menantu kepada Sultan Azlan Shah).

5. Berikutan dengan itu, Datuk Seri ismail Farouk Abdullah dibenarkan untuk mengambil alih Hotel Casuarina milik kerajaan negeri dengan harga yang paling murah iaitu RM43 juta dimana harga sebenar jauh lebih tinggi dipasaran terbuka. Hotel tersebut terletak dikawasan paling strategik di Ipoh malah harga tanah lapang saja mempunyai nilai yang amat tinggi.

Keluarga Diraja Perak bukan orang susah. Tetapi nampaknya mereka tamak. Raja datuk seri Eleena Azlan Shah merupakan Pengarah kepada Gamuda Berhad dan juga merupakan orang ke 25 kaya di Malaysia dengan harta bernilai RM773 juta. Ini menjadikan beliau wanita kedua terkaya di malaysia selepas Puan Sri Chong Chook Yew, yang menduduki tangga ke 18 dengan harta bernilai RM1 billion.

Gamuda Berhad juga telah diberikan kontrak bernilai lebih RM10 billion. Ia juga mengurus dan menyelenggara lebuhraya sepanjang 230 kilometer dan juga merupakan pemaju hartanah di empat projek bandar baru yang melibatkan lebih dari 30,000 rumah.

Itulah kisahnya. Rakyat Perak, khususnya orang Melayu, merasakan bahawa pembangkang tidak menunjukkan hormat kepada Sultan. Apa yang tidak diketahui oleh mereka ialah Sultan tidak seharusnya diberikan penghormatan. Dan ramai juga yang tidak tahu mengapa Sultan mahukan Pakatan Rakyat disingkir di Perak.

Sekarang, kita berharap, rakyat Perak tahu apa yang berlaku.