RULERS SHOULD REMAIN NON-PARTISAN IN POLITICS

Was I not surprised to hear that the Ruler of the state of Pahang had asked the people to continue backing the BN government so that “more social, economic and educational development would be implemented for them”, or words to that effect. I first heard about this in the news on TV but ignored it, thinking that there was nothing wrong if a Ruler should voice his support for the government of the day in matters that would benefit the people.

But when a friend called me to seek my views on what the Pahang ruler had actually said, that was reported in the news on TV, I began to realise that something was not right. My friend argued that rulers are above politics and should therefore remain non-partisan. By naming a political party, he is deemed to have acted in a partisan manner, and is therefore playing into the hands of that political party.

My only hope is that the Pahang ruler had made a mistake, and was only making a reference to the government of the day, and not referring it to BN in particular. Or was the news on TV being reported wrongly?

If the TV news report was correct, the ruler will now have to accept being criticised by the public for what the public sees as being a mouth piece of a certain political party. This is exactly what all rulers should avoid doing, if they are to remain a symbol to be respected by all people, regardless of their political affiliation.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION