Accused is not part of royal family, says Johor

JOHOR BARU: The Johor Council of Royal Court has denied that a suspect charged with drug offences is part of the royal family.

Council president Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli said the privilege and power to appoint and include a person or persons as a member of the Johor Royal Family was vested in the Sovereign as provided for under Article 7 (2) (e) of the Second Part of the Johor State Constitution of 1895.

“The suspect was never included in the royalty list. A royal decree of 1922 categorically excludes persons not appointed by the Sovereign under the said Article from being recognised as royalty,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Bernama reported that a member of the Johor royal family had been charged in a magistrate’s court in Petaling Jaya on Thursday with three counts of taking methamphetamine and possessing metham­phetamine and ganja in June.

Tunku Alang Reza Tunku Ibrahim, 31, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His friend Puteri Nur Zawani Mohd Rasid, 33, also pleaded not guilty to two counts of possessing ganja and methamphetamine at the same place, time and date.

The court allowed Tunku Alang Reza bail of RM4,500 in one surety and Puteri Nur Zawani bail of RM3,000 and fixed Oct 31 for mention.