Perak MB: Koon not in advisory council due to allegation against late Sultan

IPOH: Perak Mentri Besar Ahmad Faizal Azumu (pic) has rebuked prominent businessman Koon Yew Yin for alleging that the Sultan of Perak had interfered with his appointment as a member of the State Economy Advisory Council.

Ahmad Faizal denied the allegation, saying that Koon was no longer part of the council for another reason.

“As the Mentri Besar, I wished to stress that the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah has never interfered directly or indirectly on the matter.

“The decision not to appoint Koon as one of the council members was my own,” he said in a statement on Friday (Nov 2).

“The decision was made after Koon had made a serious allegation against the late Sultan Azlan Shah, which was related to graft over the bestowing of Datukships,” he added.

Koon was said to have alleged in a blog post in July that "Datuk" titles could be bought.

Ahmad Faizal said as a former Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Azlan was respected by all as a Ruler of the people and had left behind a legacy in the development of the state and country.

“As an administrator that will defend the Federal Constitution and the royal institution, the state Pakatan Harapan government is against any acts meant to discredit or smear the image of the royal institution.

“I find Koon’s action to smear the good name of the late Sultan Azlan unacceptable and cannot be defended,” he said.

“It has only worsened that Koon today uploaded on the Internet a baseless allegation that Sultan Nazrin had interfered with his appointment as one of the State Economy Advisory Council members.

“Thus, I have decided to discontinue his services as a council member,” Ahmad Faizal added.