KUALA LUMPUR: The onus is on the police to take any necessary action against Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, should a report be lodged, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman.
“At the ministry level, we leave it up to the cops to take action, based on the police report made, if any,” he told the Dewan Rakyat, here today.
“I am not a lawyer, but the reality is if there are any reports lodged, then it is up to the wisdom of the police to consider the matter,” he added.
Mohd Azis was responding questions from Datuk Seri Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau) on whether the government was ready to act against Tunku Ismail for sedition.
He also wanted to know if the words uttered by Tunku Ismail against Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the government over the past few weeks can be deemed as being seditious in nature.
Ismail said he was worried as the ongoing spat between the premier and the Johor palace could threaten the country’s political stability and the government’s credibility.
Mohd Azis did not respond to this.
Mahathir had on Tuesday reminded Tunku Ismail that we was free to criticise the government like an ordinary citizen as long as he did not break the law.
He said the crown prince was not above the law and action could be taken against him if any of his statements were deemed seditious.
This comes after Tunku Ismail criticised the government for wanting to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and for announcing a ship-to-ship transfer hub in the southern state.
In an immediate response, Tunku Ismail said he was ready to face any criminal action if he had indeed made any seditious remarks.
“You know where to find me. Like a normal citizen, I have the right to ask questions and give my opinion. I’m all yours. Finish what you start,“ he said in a tweet.
Mahathir and the Johor royalty have also been exchanging barbs over the position of the state mentri besar, which was recently vacated.
