To Secede Or Not To Secede? A Treasonous Act Ignored By the PM?

Over these last few days, two videos have gone viral. Two videos that need serious attention by this blur government of Ismail Sabri, and by you, the rakyat.

The first video is of Mr Sultan Down South, who in his address to the Johor State Assembly, said that “he felt that the Federal Government had treated the state like a stepson (anak tiri), while Johor has been a major economic contributor to the nation”. He went on to say, “do not make the people of the state decide to secede from Malaysia.... maybe the state can be more prosperous by being on its own”.

Common sense (of which Mr. Sultan does not seem to have a lot of) and the Constitution of our Nation (which Mr. Sultan does not seem to understand), makes any statement of that nature, treason. Coming from Mr. Sultan, the Ruler of that state, makes it not only treason but even more dangerous, for is he not the head of Bangsa Johor...(as he so likes to tell everyone who will listen to him)? It is treason to suggest for a state in Malaysia to leave the Federation. And treason is a crime punishable by death!

The second video is of our former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir, who categorically stated that what the Ruler had said is wrong and is without any constitutional basis. Tun further said that “if it was said by him, he would be arrested”.

In the first instance, is Mr. Sultan fully knowledgeable about the State and Federal Constitution? Is he aware that there isn’t a provision in both these constitutions that allows for states within the federation to secede for any cause or reason? And does he not know that the Federal Constitution is the supreme law of the federation, and it takes precedence over the state constitution?

Regardless of whether the Ruler is aware or is unaware of any provisions relating to the secession of a state from the federation, he must be able to rationalize, understand and bear the consequences of his statement. For Mr. Sultan's benefit, rationalize means "engkau patut faham dan mergerti".....something he seems unable to do if past deeds and statements he has made on a number of issues are taken into consideration.

The question that needs to be asked is who wrote Mr. Sultan's speech? Did he write it himself? Did TMJ aka Pendek write it for him? Or did Mr. Sultan instruct one of the Palace officials to write the speech for him? The rakyat is fully aware that all state Rulers are not absolute rulers of the state...and so the questions that beg to be answered...why is Ismail Sabri gone quiet as a church mouse on this issue?

However stupid he may be, even he must realize that the Federal Constitution does not accord absolute immunity to a Ruler against any legal prosecution.

And if the Ruler did decide that Johor should secede from the federation, has he given sufficient thought regarding the consequences for the state if the federal government withdraws all its agencies and departments?

Will this not cripple the state?

Does the state have sufficient resources to provide financial independence in the management of the state?

As of now, the state only has water that it supplies raw to a neighboring state in return for treated water. Even then, the state is not fully sufficient of its own supply of treated water.

What other natural resource does the state have? Maybe sand, reportedly sold to a neighboring state for its massive land reclamation projects....the same sand that Mr. Sultan himself is making a fortune for himself...and all that this short-sighted Mr. Sultan must be thinking about is how much more money he can make out of the export of sand if Johor has full control for the export of same, to not only Singapore or anywhere else. Big big bucks there to be made by Mr. Sultan...damm the consequences for the rivers of Johor! There will not be extra revenue for Johor...but certainly more revenue for Mr. Sultan!

Can these two resources generate enough revenue to finance the management of the state should all federal government agencies withdraw, including the two most critical agencies i.e. the armed forces and the Police Force?

Hopefully, the government takes a serious view of the statement made by the Ruler. Likewise, the other Rulers too should take a serious view of the statement made by its brother Ruler that will have untold consequences for the integrity and wellbeing of the federation.