Press Statement by YB Zuraida on the Johor Housing and Real Property Board Bill 2014 10 June 2014 The bill tabled in the Johor State Assembly for the Housing and Real Property Board Enactment 2014 which is meant to convey executive powers to the Sultan of Johor over matters pertaining to housing in the Johor State is in contradiction to the federal constitution. Johor Menteri Besar Mohamed Khaled Nordin would be powerless to ‘advice’ the Sultan as it is customary for Malays to pledge full allegiance to the ruler without question. The term ‘derhaka’ has been ingrained into the psyche of all Malays and Malaysians alike and it is unthinkable that the Sultan may be challenged at all. The bold effort on the part of Tun Dr. Mahathir who undauntedly curtailed the powers of the Sultans in the country since 1993 saw legal immunity removed for the royalties. No other would dare stand up to the country or state head of religion, which in this case are the Sultans and Agong. The Gomez incident should be referred to. Granting executive powers to the head of religion is also pointless as the Johor State Government is directly responsible for the welfare and housing of its people, not the Sultan. This move by the legislative assembly to attempt to entrust the Sultan with such a miniscule and mundane task is highly inappropriate. The Sultan is a highly revered person who should not be burdened to interfere in the daily affairs of governance. Moreover, the Johor State Government should not try to avoid their responsibilities to provide proper housing to their citizens. Housing falls under the purview of the State with the powers vested in them by the citizens. It is therefore more appropriate if the Sultan remains a shining example of valour and icon for Islam, untainted by the nitty-gritty of the public domain rather than get involved with the Housing Board, directly or indirectly. The problem with land ownership in Johor is mostly due to failure on the part of the Federal Government. The Iskandar Project for instance does not benefit the local Johoreans but people from outside of Johor. Who sells land to the foreigners? The Federal Government should be answerable. Not the Sultan, definitely. YB Zuraida Kamaruddin Ahli Parlimen Ampang Ketua Wanita Keadilan
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 01:05:33 +0000
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