Dr M: Ruling party can reject mentri besar candidate endorsed by constitutional monarch

PETALING JAYA: The ruling party of a state can reject a mentri besar candidate endorsed by the constitutional monarch through a vote of no-confidence, says Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (pic).

In a post on his blog chedet.cc, the Prime Minister listed the events that led to the adoption of the country's Federal Constitution, where it was agreed that Malaya (and later Malaysia) would be a democracy where the people would choose its government.

"The rulers would be constitutional heads without executive power. Their position would be guaranteed by the Constitution which would be the supreme law of the country.

Dr Mahathir said that the party winning the election would name the prime minister, chief minister or mentri besar, which the constitutional head would endorse.

"Should the constitutional monarch refuse to endorse and proposes his own candidate and endorses him, the winning party can reject him in the assembly – 'dewan', through a vote of no-confidence," he added.

He also said that the constitutions of Johor and Terengganu – which were promulgated earlier – were nullified by the new constitution and accepted by all Malaysian states.

"It is important that everyone concerned respects the Constitution and abide by it. Failure to do so would negate the rule of law," he wrote.