KUNJUNGAN SULTAN MUHAMMAD KE-V KE RKT KESEDAR SUNGAI ASAP B

Alhamdulillah, pada hari Selasa, 28 Disember 2010, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia al-Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, beserta rombongan Baginda telah selamat berangkat ke Rancangan Kemajuan Tanah (RKT) KESEDAR Sungai Asap B di Gua Musang.

Baginda, yang memandu sendiri range rover putih Baginda yang membawa tiga orang sahabat Baginda, iaitu Raja Razman Shah, Tim dan Marco (kedua-dua Tim dan Marco, yang merupakan sahabat-sahabat Baginda sewaktu Baginda masih belajar di United Kingdom dahulu, kini telah pun memeluk agama Islam kerana tertarik dengan keperibadian Baginda dan dengan keindahan agama Islam), bertolak dari Istana Telipot, Kota Bharu, di dalam suasana hujan renyai pada pukul 4.30 petang dan selamat tiba di Masjid Mukim RKT KESEDAR Sungai Asap B pada pukul 6.15 petang.

Selepas bersalaman dengan para penduduk tempatan dan para pegawai tinggi kerajaan negeri yang hadir, Baginda, dengan bantuan Dato’ Abdul Halim Hamad, terus mengambil wudhu’ dengan menggunakan gayung yang tersedia di kolah masjid dan menunaikan sembahyang Asar secara berjemaah bersama-sama ahli-ahli rombongan Baginda.

Selepas menunaikan sembahyang Asar, berwirid dan berdoa, Baginda terus menyampaikan kunci lapan buah rumah (bernilai RM30,000 setiap satunya) yang telah dibina dengan menggunakan wang zakat Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan (MAIK) kepada lapan orang penduduk miskin tegar dari jajahan Gua Musang. Turut diberikan bantuan wang zakat sebanyak RM100 seorang adalah 100 penduduk berdekatan.

Setelah itu, Baginda meluangkan masa selama hampir setengah jam bagi beramah mesra dengan 29 orang asli dari Pos Hendrop di perkarangan masjid itu di mana Baginda telah memberikan mereka, yang diketuai oleh Ahoh @ Wahab bin Ibrahim, 29, peluang untuk menceritakan permasalahan mereka kepada Baginda. Setelah bertukar-tukar bicara mengenai aktiviti-aktiviti yang mereka lakukan bagi menyara kehidupan mereka, mereka pun mengemukakan hasrat mereka supaya Baginda dapat mengusahakan agar mereka dan rakan-rakan mereka yang lain yang kesemuanya berjumlah sekitar 200 orang diberikan hak milik tanah di dalam lingkungan 15 ekar seorang. Mendengarkan permintaan ini, Baginda segera menyatakan kesanggupan Baginda untuk memikirkan cara bagi membantu mereka mendapat tanah tersebut. Di dalam masa yang sama, Baginda menanyakan kepada mereka apakah yang mereka mahu usahakan di tanah tersebut, yang dijawab oleh mereka akan diusahakan dengan tanaman padi, pisang dan keledek. Baginda kemudiannya mencadangkan bahawa adalah lebih baik tanah itu diberikan secara berkelompok serta diusahakan secara beramai-ramai, dengan tanaman yang lebih menguntungkan seperti getah, bagi membolehkan tanah itu memberikan pulangan yang lebih baik. Kesemua orang asli ini juga turut diberikan bantuan wang zakat sebanyak RM100 seorang.

Kemudian Baginda, tanpa menghadapi walau sebarang kesulitan pun, terus sahaja menyembelih sendiri seekor lembu, juga di perkarangan masjid itu, di mana dagingnya, bersama-sama daging empat ekor lagi lembu yang telah disembelih pada sebelah paginya, diagih-agihkan kepada fakir miskin, termasuklah kepada hadirin majlis.

Seterusnya, Baginda berjalan kaki meredah hujan renyai sejauh kira-kira 500 meter untuk ke rumah seorang pesakit asma kronik, Sudin Che Ya, 59. Di sini, Baginda telah meluangkan masa selama kira-kira 15 minit untuk beramah mesra dengan pesakit tersebut. Di antara lainnya, pesakit tersebut menceritakan kisahnya yang menghidap asma, yang menyebabkan beliau tidak dapat bekerja (hanya mengharapkan hasil daripada tanaman getahnya yang diusahakan oleh penduduk lain) di samping menyebabkan beliau mengalami kesukaran untuk menyara dua orang anaknya yang masih bersekolah, iaitu Mohd Shahriza, 17, dan Mohd Ridzuan, 11, apatah lagi setelah beliau ditinggalkan oleh isterinya sejak sepuluh tahun yang lalu. Setelah bertukar-tukar bicara mengenai jenis-jenis ubatan yang pesakit tersebut gunakan bagi merawat penyakitnya itu, Baginda telah memberikan komitmen Baginda untuk membeli, sama ada di Kuala Lumpur atau di Singapura, peralatan rawatan terkini (yang boleh berfungsi apabila disambung dengan bekalan elektrik ataupun pencucuh api di dalam kereta) yang digunakan bagi merawat penyakit itu. Baginda juga menitahkan kepada Ketua Jajahan Gua Musang supaya mengusahakan pesakit tersebut dibawa untuk menjalani rawatan yang lebih terperinci di Hospital Daerah Gua Musang. Baginda kemudiannya bertanya pesakit tersebut jika ada apa-apa permintaan khusus yang dimahukan oleh beliau dari Baginda dan pesakit tersebut pun mengemukakan hasrat beliau supaya Baginda dapat membina sebuah rumah baru untuk beliau dan anak-anak beliau memandangkan rumah yang mereka diami sekarang sudah agak uzur. Mendengarkan permintaan ini, Baginda segera menyatakan kesanggupan Baginda untuk membantu membina rumah tersebut. Di samping itu, Baginda juga tidak lupa untuk memberikan sedikit sumbangan peribadi Baginda kepada pesakit tersebut.

Setelah itu, Baginda pun bergegas kembali ke Masjid Mukim RKT KESEDAR Sungai Asap B untuk menunaikan sembahyang Maghrib berjemaah bersama-sama para penduduk tempatan di sana. Setelah berwirid, berdoa, bersalaman dan beramah mesra dengan para jemaah, Baginda beserta rombongan Baginda pun berangkat ke Istana Persinggahan Gua Musang untuk beradu di sana dan seterusnya berangkat ke Kuala Lumpur keesokan harinya.

Dalam pada itu, di antara para pegawai tinggi kerajaan negeri yang turut hadir di dalam majlis ini adalah Ahli Majlis Perajaan Negeri, Dato’ Sukri Mohamed; Dato’ Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam Negeri, Dato’ Ismail Mohd Noor; Dato’ Seri Setia Raja Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Dato’ Mohd Aiseri Alias; Dato’ Pegawai Kewangan Negeri, Dato’ Mohd Faudzi Che Mamat; Dato’ Pengarah Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Negeri, Dato’ Che Mohd Rahim Jusoh; Dato’ Timbalan Yang Dipertua MAIK, Dato’ Kamaruddin Mohd Zain; dan Ketua Jajahan Gua Musang, Wan Mustapha Wan Abdul Hamid.

ISU PENGANUGERAHAN GELARAN DATO' OLEH TENGKU ISKANDAR

1. Kami telah dimaklumkan oleh beberapa pihak mengenai tindakan Persatuan Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus Kelantan, yang diketuai oleh Tengku Iskandar Tengku Ahmad selaku Yang Dipertuanya, melangsungkan Istiadat Pengurniaan Darjah-Darjah Kehormatan Kebesaran Bintang-Bintang dan Pingat-Pingat Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus Kelantan di Istana Dusun Green, Pasir Mas, pada hari Rabu, 15 Disember 2010, lalu.

2. Kami dimaklumkan bahawa persatuan ini telah mengadakan sepuluh darjah, bintang, pingat dan surat kepujian, iaitu Darjah Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.K.), Darjah Dato’ Sri Paduka D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.S.P.D.), Darjah Dato’ Sri D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.S.P.J.), Darjah Dato’ Paduka D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.P.D.R.), Darjah Dato’ D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.D.R.J.), Bintang Ahli D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (A.D’Raja LY), Bintang Ahli D’Raja DYMM Tengku Iskandar (A.D’Raja TI), Pingat D’Raja Setia DYMM Long Yunus (P.S.D’Raja), Pingat D’Raja DYMM Tengku Iskandar (P.D’Raja TI) dan Surat Kepujian Penghargaan Jasa D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (S.P.D’Raja).

3. Kami dimaklumkan bahawa, di dalam Istiadat Pengurniaan Darjah-Darjah Kehormatan Kebesaran Bintang-Bintang dan Pingat-Pingat Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus Kelantan itu, Darjah Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.K.) telah dikurniakan oleh Tengku Iskandar Tengku Ahmad kepada 3 penerima, Darjah Dato’ Sri Paduka D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.S.P.D.) kepada 2 penerima, Darjah Dato’ Sri D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.S.P.J.) kepada 7 penerima, Darjah Dato’ D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (D.D.R.J.) kepada 17 penerima dan Bintang Ahli D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus (A.D’Raja LY) kepada 99 penerima.

4. Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa Perkara 43 (1) Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) dengan jelas memperuntukkan bahawa: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia ialah pangkal segala kemuliaan dan kebesaran dalam Negeri ini dan Bagindalah sahaja boleh mengurniakan gelaran dan kebesaran serta mengadakan Pangkat-Pangkat Kemuliaan, Pingat-Pingat Kebesaran dan Kehormatan.

5. Sukacita juga dimaklumkan bahawa Istiadat Pengurniaan Darjah-Darjah Kehormatan Kebesaran Bintang-Bintang dan Pingat-Pingat Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus Kelantan di Istana Dusun Green, Pasir Mas, itu tidak pernah sesekali disembah-maklum kepada, atau mempunyai perkaitan dengan, apatah lagi diperkenankan oleh, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, sebagaimana yang didakwa.

6. Kami juga dimaklumkan bahawa pihak berkuasa sedang membuat siasatan ke atas tindakan melangsungkan Istiadat Pengurniaan Darjah-Darjah Kehormatan Kebesaran Bintang-Bintang dan Pingat-Pingat Kerabat D’Raja DYMM Long Yunus Kelantan ini dan kami menyeru semua pihak supaya memberi kerjasama di dalam menjayakan siasatan ini.

7. Kami tidak menghalang mana-mana pihak dari membuat sebarang tuntutan ke atas takhta kesultanan Kelantan jika mereka berpendapat bahawa mereka mempunyai asas untuk berbuat demikian tetapi sukalah ditegaskan bahawa tuntutan ini perlulah dibuat mengikut saluran yang telah ditetapkan oleh perlembagaan dan undang-undang.

8. Tindakan mana-mana pihak memperuntukkan dengan secara semberono kepada diri mereka sendiri kedudukan dan kuasa yang diperuntukkan secara sah oleh perlembagaan dan undang-undang hanya kepada Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Kelantan sahaja adalah satu perlanggaran yang jelas ke atas perlembagaan dan undang-undang.

LAGI PENJELASAN MENGENAI KEABSAHAN SULTAN KELANTAN

Isu Sultan Muhammad V: Terima Saja Keputusan Majlis Perajaan - Kata Nazri Aziz
(Bernama, 9 Disember 2010)

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Dis (Bernama) -- Pemasyhuran Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, tidak perlu mendapat persetujuan daripada kerajaan persekutuan kerana Majlis Perajaan lebih berkuasa dalam perkara itu, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz.

Beliau berkata, apabila berlakunya sesuatu lantikan oleh majlis tersebut, apa yang perlu dilakukan ialah pemasyhuran, iaitu memaklumkan kepada rakyat.

"Sebagai kerajaan, sebenarnya kita tidak boleh campur tangan dalam apa yang berlaku di dalam institusi beraja di Kelantan kerana mereka ada Majlis Perajaan yang boleh menentukan siapa yang berhak menjadi sultan.

"Apabila mereka telah menentukan siapa yang menjadi raja, proses seterusnya ialah pemasyhuran, maknanya memaklumkan kepada rakyat. Jadi, kalau kita faham sistem ini, tidak ada ruang dan sebab mengapa pihak kerajaan pusat, mengapa kerajaan negeri dan mengapa rakyat perlu mempertikaikan apa yang berlaku di istana Kelantan itu," katanya kepada pemberita di pejabatnya di bangunan Parlimen di sini.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai permintaan tokoh veteran Umno yang juga Anggota Parlimen Gua Musang, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, baru-baru ini yang meminta Majlis Raja-Raja, kerajaan persekutuan dan kerajaan negeri memberi perhatian serius terhadap krisis istana di Kelantan yang berlanjutan bagi mengelakkan kegelisahan dan kekeliruan rakyat dengan situasi semasa di negeri itu.

Ketika membuat kenyataan itu, Tengku Razaleigh turut mengedarkan kenyataan yang dikeluarkan Sultan Ismail Petra yang tertulis bahawa baginda adalah Sultan Kelantan yang sah mengikut perlembagaan.

"Ini hak mereka (pemasyhuran) dan tidak ada kena mengena dari segi mesti mendapat persetujuan, malahan recognition daripada kerajaan pusat pun tidak perlu, kerana apa yang diputuskan oleh Majlis Perajaan itulah mesti diterima oleh semua," kata Mohamed Nazri.

Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) dilantik sebagai Pemangku Raja Kelantan pada 24 Mei tahun lepas setelah ayahanda baginda menjalani rawatan susulan di Hospital Mount Elizabeth, Singapura.

Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra Tuanku Ismail Petra dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultan Kelantan pada 13 September lalu. Tuanku Ismail Petra mengalami ketidakupayaan sejak Mei tahun lepas.

Mohamed Nazri berkata, permintaan Tengku Razaleigh tidak perlu diberi perhatian kerana institusi beraja di Kelantan telah wujud sebelum kewujudan kerajaan pusat pada 1957 malah tidak pernah berlaku pemasyhuran sultan perlu melibatkan persetujuan kerajaan pusat ataupun kerajaan negeri.

"Saya katakan di sini tak ada masalah pun sebenarnya dalam pemasyhuran itu. Jadi, takkanlah jika hanya seorang, iaitu Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, tidak berpuas hati kita akan ambil kira pandangan beliau dan tidak pernah berlaku pun rakyat, kerajaan pusat atau kerajaan negeri dilibatkan dalam soal pemasyhuran sultan," katanya.

Beliau berkata isu tersebut juga tidak layak dibawa ke mahkamah khas kerana mahkamah itu hanya untuk membicarakan salah laku seorang raja, bukan untuk membicarakan pertikaian sama ada pemasyhuran itu sah atau sebaliknya.

"Pemasyhuran ini perlu diterima semua. Ia bukan boleh menjadi pertikaian di mana-mana mahkamah pun. Apabila telah dimasyhurkan Tuanku Sultan Muhammad V sebagai Sultan Kelantan dan dimaklumkan kepada pusat dan kita terima, bukan untuk kita iktiraf pun kerana ia tak perlu pengiktirafan daripada kita (kerajaan pusat)," katanya.

Tengku Razaleigh, 73, yang juga Ketua Umno Gua Musang adalah datuk saudara kepada Sultan Muhammad V sebelah bondanya, Tengku Anis Tengku Abdul Hamid.

LAGI BUKTI JELAS MENGENAI KEABSAHAN SULTAN KELANTAN

Rulers Council cannot interfere in the affairs of Kelantan palace
(The Star, 8 Disember 2010)

PETALING JAYA: Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is “wrong” in asking the Rulers Council and the federal authorities to intervene in the Kelantan palace crisis.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said ascension to the throne was outside the purview of the federal government or the courts.

“Succession and ascension are for the Kelantan royal family to decide. The Kelantan palace has its own succession council, which has made a decision,” said Nazri.

“They have proclaimed the new Sultan and the people have accepted the decision.

“Whatever the royal family decides, we will agree. We don’t interfere in this sort of issue. It’s not the right thing to do.”

Tengku Razaleigh had, at a press conference on Monday, urged the Rulers’ Council and the federal authorities to step in and resolve the royal issue because of its implications on royal succession in other states.

He had also touched on the legal implications over the proclamation of Sultan Muhammad V, who succeeded his ailing father Sultan Ismail Petra on Sept 13.

Tengku Razaleigh also stated his allegiance to the former Sultan during the press conference.

The Gua Musang MP, who is the maternal granduncle of Sultan Muhammad V, had called the press conference to respond to the revocation of two of his titles – the Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat Dihormati (DK) and Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota Kelantan Yang Amat Mulia (SPMK) – by the Kelantan palace.

The palace had revoked the titles because of remarks attributed to Tengku Razaleigh in Sin Chew Daily on Sept 14.

He had allegedly said the Sultan’s father Sultan Ismail Petra was still alive and had not left the state for 12 months or abdicated and therefore his son’s appointment as the acting Sultan at the time was questionable.

Nazri claimed that the Rulers Council could not interfere in the affairs of the Kelantan palace because the royal families were independent of each other.

He cited the case of the Negri Sembilan succession, which went to Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir instead of the heir of the former Yang Di-Pertuan Besar. He said the federal government had accepted the decision without question.

“All I want to emphasise is that he (Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah) is wrong in his opinion and that the federal government recognises Sultan Muhammad V.”

Meanwhile, palace sources said the Kelantan palace is seeking legal counsel on whether to bring contempt proceedings against Tengku Razaleigh.

It is also considering lodging a police report citing him for sedition.

PENGHAKIMAN YANG MENGIKTIRAF KEABSAHAN SULTAN KELANTAN

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF MALAYSIA AT PUTRAJAYA
(ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)
SUIT NO. 1 OF 2010

BETWEEN
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SULTAN ISMAIL PETRA IBNI ALMARHUM SULTAN YAHYA PETRA …PETITIONER
AND
1. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS TENGKU MAHKOTA TENGKU MUHAMMAD FARIS PETRA
2. KERAJAAN NEGERI KELANTAN …RESPONDENTS

(Consolidated with Suit No. 2 of 2010
In the Federal Court of Malaysia at Putrajaya)

BETWEEN
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS SULTAN ISMAIL PETRA IBNI ALMARHUM SULTAN YAHYA PETRA …PETITIONER
AND
1. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS TENGKU MAHKOTA TENGKU MUHAMMAD FARIS PETRA
2. KERAJAAN NEGERI KELANTAN …RESPONDENTS

Coram:
Zulkefli bin Ahmad Makinudin, FCJ
Raus Sharif, FCJ
Abdull Hamid bin Embong, FCJ

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

Introduction

1. There are two suits filed by way of a petition by the petitioner: Suit No. 1 of 2010 (first petition) and Suit No. 2 of 2010 (second petition). Both petitions have been consolidated. The petitioner, at the time of filing of these petitions, is the Sultan of Kelantan. In both petitions, the petitioner is challenging the authority of the first respondent, the Regent of the State of Kelantan, the eldest son of the petitioner, in assuming the full power of the Sultan of Kelantan, as if the petitioner was no longer the Sovereign of the State. The petitioner in both petitions has also brought in the Government of the State of Kelantan as the second respondent.

2. Both the petitions are filed pursuant to Article LXIII(2) First Part and Article IV(4) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan seeking relief and opinion of the Federal Court on a number of framed questions. Article LXIII(2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan provides as follows:
“(2) His Royal Highness may refer to the Federal Court for its opinion any question as to the effect of any provision of the Laws of the Constitution of the State which has arisen or appears to Him to be likely to arise, and the Federal Court shall pronounce in open court its opinion on any question so referred to it.”
Article IV(4) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan is worded exactly the same as in the provision of Article LXIII(2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.

3. In the first petition, the petitioner is seeking the opinion of the Federal Court and consequential orders arising from the opinion pronounced in respect of the following questions:
(a) Whether the first respondent as the Regent of the State, acting during the petitioner’s incapacitation, is entitled to assume for himself the full powers of the Sultan, to so conduct himself as if the petitioner was no longer the Sovereign of the State; and
(b) Whether the first respondent as the Regent of the State, acting as such during the petitioner’s incapacitation, has the power or authority:
(i) to remove any member of the Council of Succession appointed by the petitioner;
(ii) to appoint persons to be members of the Council of Succession;
(iii) to confer any State Titles, Dignities and Honours of the State of Kelantan; and
(iv) to strip any person of any Titles, Dignities and Honours of the State which the petitioner had conferred upon such person, or to degrade or withdraw any Titles, Dignities and Honours the petitioner had conferred.

4. In the second petition, the petitioner is seeking the opinion of the Federal Court and consequential orders arising from the opinion pronounced in respect of the following questions:
(a) Whether the first respondent as the Regent has the power or authority to restrict the petitioner’s movement to within the confines of the Istana Mahkota, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan;
(b) Whether the first respondent as the Regent has the power or authority to confine the movement of the petitioner to within the State of Kelantan;
(c) Whether the first respondent as the Regent has the power or authority to impose restrictions on the petitioner’s right to be medically treated by doctors, and at a hospital or other medical establishment, of his own choice; and
(d) Whether the first respondent as the Regent has the power or authority to direct the Commander of Royal Malaysian Air Force, Gong Kedak Air Base, Terengganu, not to allow the petitioner to be flown out of the State of Kelantan by any airplane from the Gong Kedak Air Base, Terengganu, except with the Regent’s prior approval.

Background Facts

5. In support of the first petition the petitioner amongst others pleaded the following relevant facts:
(1) The petitioner is the one and true Sovereign of the State of Kelantan.
(2) As the Sovereign of the State, the petitioner has the power to appoint and remove members of the Council of Succession. The Council of Succession plays an important role under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – it is the Council of Succession that must confirm the Successor to the Throne of the State.
(3) As at 14.5.2009, the following persons have been appointed by the petitioner to the Council of Succession:
3.1 Tengku Abdul Aziz bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah (Tengku Sri Utama Raja) – President;
3.2 Tengku Razaleigh bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah – Deputy President;
3.3 Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra Ibni Sultan Ismail Petra (Tengku Temenggong Kelantan);
3.4 Dato’ Tengku Rozan binti Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra;
3.5 Dato’ Tengku Faridah binti Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim;
3.6 Dato’ Tengku Mohamad Rizam bin Tengku Abdul Aziz;
3.7 Dato’ Haji Nik Sulaiman bin Dato’ Haji Nik Daud (Dato’ Bentara Kiri);
3.8 Dato’ Haji Nik Ishak bin Dato’ Haji Nik Daud;
3.9 Dato’ Haji Wan Ismail bin Haji Wan Mohd Salleh;
3.10 Ir. Dato’ Tengku Mahmood bin Tengku Abdul Hamid;
3.11 Dato’ Haji Daud bin Muhammad (Dato’ Aria D’Raja);
3.12 Dato’ Haji Wan Hashim bin Haji Wan Ahmad (Dato’ Bentara Dalam);
3.13 Dato’ Haji Yusoff bin Haji Mohd Othman (Dato’ Biji Sura); and
3.14 Dato’ Mohd Aiseri bin Alias.
(4) As Sovereign, the petitioner also has the Royal Prerogative to confer Titles, Dignities and Honours of the State of Kelantan upon individuals; and among the persons whom the petitioner has conferred such Titles were:
4.1 Dato’ Haji Ahmad Rusli bin Haji Iberahim;
4.2 Dato’ Tan Hua @ Tan Liang Chong;
4.3 Dato’ Wan Hassan bin Wan Zin; and
4.4 Dato’ Mohd Raihan bin Dato’ Seri Dr. Eusuff Teh.
(5) On 14.5.2009, the petitioner was taken ill and admitted to the University Science Malaysia Hospital at Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. The petitioner was subsequently transferred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.
(6) By reason of the petitioner’s illness, Tengku Mahkota, the first respondent, was appointed as Regent of the State by the Council of Succession on 24.5.2009.
(7) On 15.9.2009 and 16.9.2009, the first respondent, purporting to exercise his power as Regent, removed the following members of the Council of Succession:
7.1 Dato’ Haji Wan Ismail bin Haji Wan Mohd Salleh;
7.2 Dato’ Haji Nik Sulaiman bin Dato’ Haji Nik Daud (Dato’ Bentara Kiri);
7.3 Ir. Dato’ Tengku Mahmood bin Tengku Abdul Hamid;
7.4 Dato’ Haji Yusoff bin Haji Mohd Othman (Dato’ Biji Sura); and
7.5 Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra (Tengku Temenggong Kelantan);
(8) The first respondent, in purported exercise of his power as Regent, also stripped the Titles from individuals mentioned in paragraph 4 hereof; namely:
8.1 Dato’ Haji Ahmad Rusli bin Haji Iberahim;
8.2 Dato’ Tan Hua @ Tan Liang Chong;
8.3 Dato’ Wan Hassan bin Wan Zin; and
8.4 Dato’ Mohd Raihan bin Dato’ Seri Dr. Eusuff Teh.
(9) Between 24.5.2009 and 17.9.2009, the first respondent, purporting to exercise his power as Regent, appointed the following persons as new members of the Council of Succession:
9.1 Dato’ Haji Hashim bin Dato’ Haji Yusoff;
9.2 Dato’ Haji Mohamed Shukri bin Mohamad (the State Mufti);
9.3 Dato’ Tengku Hajah Salwani binti Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra;
9.4 Dato’ Sukri bin Haji Mohamed;
9.5 Dato’ Haji Che Mohd Rahim bin Jusoh, and
9.6 Kol. Dr. Mohammad Razin bin Kamarulzaman.
(10) On or about 4.3.2010, the petitioner was discharged from Mount Elizabeth Hospital and had since returned to the State of Kelantan.
(11) The petitioner claimed as he had just recently been discharged from hospital, he did not wish to have the usual public celebration of His Birrthday this year, preferring to celebrate it in a more private and quiet way. The petitioner’s wish was made known to the first respondent, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and the Menteri Besar of the State of Kelantan on or about 17.2.2010. The petitioner also expressly informed the State Government of Kelantan and the first respondent that he would not be conferring any Titles, Dignities and Honours this year pursuant to Article XLIII Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.
(12) In spite of the aforesaid declaration by the petitioner, the first respondent, purporting to act in his capacity as Acting Sultan, continued with the preparations of, and on 30.3.2010 held, a State function.
(13) As part of the State function, the first respondent, purporting to exercise his power as the Regent of the State, conferred various Titles, Dignities and Honours to various individuals.
(14) Even prior to the State function, the first respondent had on 24.3.2010, purporting to exercise his power as the Regent of the State, conferred the highest State Title to the Yang Di Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, at Istana Besar Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan.
(15) The first respondent, in purported exercise of his power as Regent, on 28.3.2010 appointed Captain Tengku Datuk Ahmad Farizuanudean Khairi as an additional member of the Council of Succession.
(16) The first respondent on 25.3.2010 removed his uncle, Tengku Sri Utama Raja Yang Mulia Tengku Abdul Aziz bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah, whom the petitioner had appointed to be the President of the Council of Succession, from that position. In his place, the first respondent appointed Tengku Laksamana Kelantan Tengku Abdul Halim Al-Haj bin Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim as the purported new President of the Council of Succession.
(17) With the removals and new appointments, the membership of the Council of Succession stands at 18 members.
(18) The petitioner claimed that he is very concerned with the actions of the first respondent as Regent:
18.1 in removing from the Council of Succession persons whom the petitioner had personally appointed because of their loyalty to the petitioner and his family, and to the State of Kelantan;
18.2 in appointing new members of the Council of Succession; and
18.3 in so conducting himself, in his capacity as Regent, as if the petitioner was no longer the Sovereign of the State of Kelantan.
(19) It is the contention of the petitioner that the first respondent in the circumstances in which he removed the members of, and appointed new members to, the Council of Succession, may have:
19.1 exceeded his powers as the Regent of the State of Kelantan;
19.2 usurped the petitioner’s Royal Prerogative, Power and Authority as the true and one Sovereign of the State; and
19.3 acted in contravention of the Constitution of the State of Kelantan.

6. After the filing of the first petition, the petitioner claimed that the first respondent had issued several directives purporting to restrict the petitioner’s personal liberty and freedom. Aggrieved by these purported directives issued by the first respondent the petitioner filed the second petition.

7. In support of the second petition the petitioner pleaded that one of the directives was contained in a letter dated 3.5.2010 issued to the Commander of Royal Malaysian Air Force, Gong Kedak Air Base, Terengganu, directing him not to allow the petitioner to be flown out of the State of Kelantan by any airplane using the Gong Kedak Air Base without the first respondent’s prior approval. Another is a letter dated 9.5.2010 issued to Raja Perempuan of Kelantan, directing that the petitioner is not to leave the Istana Mahkota or the State of Kelantan without first securing the first respondent’s prior approval and that the petitioner is to be treated only at the Istana Mahkota and by medical specialists from the State of Kelantan or specialists from within the country unless otherwise stated. By yet another letter dated 17.5.2010 the first respondent directed that the petitioner could only leave for Singapore for medical treatment if a panel of doctors appointed by the Ministry of Health recommends that there is a need for the petitioner to seek medical treatment in Singapore by reason of the lack of expertise available in Malaysia and certifies that the petitioner is in a fit condition to travel. The petitioner claimed these directives have the effect of violating the petitioner’s constitutional rights and fundamental liberties.

8. The first respondent in his amended defences to both the petitions pleaded amongst others the following relevant facts:
(1) Due to the petitioner’s ill health, the Council of Succession appointed the first respondent as the Regent of the State of Kelantan pursuant to Article XXIIA Clause 1(b) and Clause 3 Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan which appointment has not been revoked;
(2) In accordance with Article XXIIA(5) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, the first respondent is required to continue to act as the Regent until the petitioner recovers from such incapacitation;
(3) By virtue of the fact that the first respondent has been appointed the Regent, the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan provides that the first respondent is to be vested with the powers of “His Royal Highness” within the meaning of the said Constitution;
(4) The crux of the dispute relates to Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra’s discontent at being removed as a member of the Council of Succession by the first respondent in his capacity as the Regent on 16.9.2009;
(5) On 16.9.2009 Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra was notified by way of a letter from the Secretary to the Council of Succession that the first respondent had in his capacity as the Regent exercised his dicretion to revoke Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra’s appointment as a member of the Council of Succession which was to take effect from 16.9.2009;
(6) Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra was not the only person removed as a member of the Council of Succession on 16.9.2009. The following individuals were also removed from the Council of Succession as of 15.9.2009:
(i) Dato’ Haji Wan Ismail bin Haji Wan Mohd Salleh;
(ii) Dato’ Haji Nik Sulaiman bin Dato’ Haji Nik Daud (Dato’ Bentara Kiri);
(iii) Ir. Dato’ Tengku Mahmood bin Tengku Abdul Hamid; and
(iv)Dato’ Haji Yusoff bin Haji Mohd Othman (Dato’ Biji Sura).
(7)Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra took no immediate action following his removal as a member of the Council of Succession. Rather, he waited until 25.10.2009 to issue a letter to the Secretary of the Council of Succession stating inter alia that:
(i) He required an explanation as to what was the basis or reasons for his removal as a member of the Council of Succession;
(ii) His appoint ment to the Council of Succession was made by the Sultan of Kelantan and only the Sultan of Kelantan could remove him; and
(iii) Unless an explanation was provided within seven days from the date of the applicant’s letter dated 25.10.2009, he would take it that the Council of Succession had failed and/or neglected to provide any reasons for his removal from the said Council of Succession thereby leaving him no choice but to seek recourse before the Courts.
(8) On 26.10.2009 the Secretary to the Council of Succession informed Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra by way of a letter stating inter alia that the decision to remove him was made by the first respondent in his capacity as the Regent on 16.9.2009.
(9) Thereafter, in the first respondent’s capacity as the Regent, the first respondent appointed the following individuals as members of the Council of Succession to take effect from 16.9.2009 and 17.9.2009:
(i) Dato’ Haji Hashim bin Dato’ Haji Yusoff;
(ii) Dato’ Haji Mohamed Shukri bin Mohamad;
(iii) Dato’ Tengku Hajah Salwani binti Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra;
(iv) Dato’ Sukri bin Haji Mohamed;
(v) Dato’ Haji Che Mohd Rahim bin Jusoh, and
(vi) Kol. Dr. Mohammad Razin bin Kamarulzaman.
(10) Given the petitioner’s incapacity, the petitioner would not be in a fit and proper condition to “expressly inform the State Government of Kelantan that he would not be conferring any Titles, Dignities or Honours or issue any proclamations whatsoever”.
(11) The first respondent exercise his discretion as the Regent pursuant to Article VII Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan in removing Tengku Abdul Aziz bin Tengku Mohd Hamzah as the President of the Council of Succession and appointing Tengku Abdul Halim Al-Haj bin Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim as the new President of the Council of Succession.
(12) In the first respondent’s capacity as the Regent, the first respondent may act in his discretion and exercise the right and authority to appoint, revoke or dismiss or discharge any person of any Titles, Honours or Dignities.
(13) At no material time has the first respondent conducted himself in such a manner that the Sultan of Kelantan is no longer the Sovereign within the meaning of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.
(14) At no material time has the first respondent exceeded his powers as the Regent and usurped the royal prerogative, power and authority of the petitioner.
(15) The first respondent issued the directives restricting the movement of the petitioner contained in the letters dated 3.5.2010, 9.5.2010 and 17.5.2010 in his capacity as the Regent of Kelantan and current Head of the Kelantan Royal Household as well as next of kin out of concern for the petitioner’s health and well-being.
(16) The first respondent did not want the petitioner’s ill health and medical condition to be utilized by Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra for his personal gain.
(17) On 9.7.2010 the first respondent instructed the office of the Sultan of Kelantan to issue a statement to the effect that the petitioner is free to travel abroad.
(18) On 14.7.2010 the petitioner travelled freely to Singapore for medical treatment. At no material time did the first respondent prohibit or restrain the petitioner from leaving the State of Kelantan.

Jurisdictional Objection

9. When both the parties appeared at the stage of Summons for Directions of these two suits, learned Counsel for the first respondent, Tan Sri Cecil Abraham, had indicated that he would be raising a jurisdictional objection before hearing the merits of the two petitions. The objection relates to the question of whether the petitioner has the jurisdiction to refer the questions of law to the Federal Court pursuant to Article XLIII (2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan notwithstanding the fact that there exists a Regency in place. The panel of this Court constituted to hear these two petitions on the hearing date henceforth invited arguments from the parties to submit on this issue first as to whether the Federal Court has the jurisdiction to hear the petitions against the first respondent.

10. For the purpose of arguments by the parties on the jurisdictional objection of the first respondent, we shall deal with the issues raised under the first petition filed by the petitioner in arriving at our decision. Our decision on this jurisdictional objection by the first respondent in respect of the first petition will equally apply on the jurisdictional objection of the first respondent in respect of the second petition.

Contention of the First Respondent

11. Learned Counsel for the first respondent’s primary grounds in support of the jurisdictional objection as in his submission before us can be set out and summarized as follows:
(a) At the time of the filing of these two actions, the first respondent was the Regent of Kelantan and is defined as “His Royal Highness” in accordance with the express provisions of Article IV First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The first respondent is now His Royal Highness Sultan Muhammad V, the present Sultan of Kelantan.
(b) The first respondent as the then Regent of Kelantan carried out the functions as the acting Ruler due to the petitioner’s present incapacitation;
(c) The first respondent as His Royal Highness carries out numerous royal functions similar to that of the Sultan of Kelantan had His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kelantan not been incapacitated.
(d) Only one person may exercise the powers of “His Royal Highness” at any one time. Due to the incapacitation of the petitioner and the existence of a Regency, such a power can only be exercised by the first respondent as the Regent of Kelantan at the material time.
(e) There is no express provision within the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan or in law which supports the petitioner’s contention that the fact that the first respondent was appointed by the Council of Succession is of a lesser effect than had the first respondent been appointed Regent of Kelantan by the Sultan of Kelantan.
(f) Pursuant to Article VII Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, the first respondent as His Royal Highness acting in his discretion has the right and authority to revoke the appointment of, or dismiss and discharge any members of, the Council of Succession.
(g) The petitioner has no jurisdiction to refer a question of law pursuant to Article LXIII (2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan pending the existence of a Regency due to the incapacitation of the petitioner.

Contention of the Petitioner

12. Learned Counsel for the petitioner, Encik Azhar Bin Azizan @ Harun, in reply to the first respondent’s jurisdictional objection relied inter alia on the grounds which can be summarized as follows:
(a) Notwithstanding the Council of Succession’s appointment of the first respondent as Regent on 24.5.2009, the petitioner is still the Sultan, Sovereign and Ruler of the State of Kelantan.
(b) The first respondent as the Regent cannot exist on his own or in vacuum. He exists because the Sultan is incapacitated. Just because the Sultan is incapacitated it does not mean that the petitioner is not in a position to ask the Federal Court for its opinion on the questions framed.
(c) The first respondent as the Regent does not take over exclusively the role of the Sultan. The Regent being a caretaker ruler can only perform those duties which a Sultan is required by the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan to perform but which he cannot do because of his incapacitation. The petitioner as the Sultan does not surrender all his powers to the Regent.
(d) The first respondent as the Regent is not conferred the full powers of the Sultan whilst acting as Regent. The Regent is not a Sultan, Sovereign or Ruler. The Regent is only to have the right to exercise the powers which are necessary to attend to the affairs of the State.
(e) The definition of “His Royal Highness” in Article IV First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan to include the Regent is subject to an important rider, that is the Regent can only fall within the definition of “His Royal Highness” “where the context admits”. The phrase “His Royal Highness” does not necessarily refer to the Regent under the relevant provisions of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The phrase “His Royal Highness” will always refer to the Sultan.

Decision

13. We shall now deal with the factual circumstances and the questions of law posed for our determination under the first petition in deciding whether there is merit on the jurisdictional objection raised by the first respondent. The petitioner’s principal complaint which has brought about the parties before this Court is focused on the first respondent’s purported exercise of his discretionary powers as a Regent in revoking Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra’s appointment as a member of the Council of Succession amongst others and in effecting the appointment of other individuals as the new members of the Council of Succession. To the petitioner, the first respondent is not empowered to exercise such a discretion in the performance of his royal functions as a Regent in the revocation and appointment of the members of the Council of Succession. Instead it was argued for the petitioner that these powers can only be exercised by the petitioner personally as the Sultan of Kelantan.

14. We are of the view that as the then Regent of Kelantan, the first respondent is vested with all the powers of “His Royal Highness” within the meaning of the First Part and the Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. There is no distinction between the powers exercised by a reigning Sultan regardless of whether the first respondent was appointed by the Council of Succession or by the then Sultan of Kelantan.

15. It is the contention of the petitioner that any decision made by first respondent in the exercise of his duties at the Regent during the incapacitation of the Sultan has a somewhat lesser effect solely because he was appointed by the Council of Succession instead of being appointed by the Sultan of Kelantan himself. We would like to state here that amongst the duties of the Council of Succession as provided under Articles VI and IX Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan are to confirm the Heir as reigning Sovereign and to choose and appoint a Sovereign on failure of eligible Heirs or refusal to confirm any of the eligible Heirs. Article XXIIA (3) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan further provides that the Council of Succession shall appoint a Regent or Council of Regency in the case of incapacitation of the Sovereign. It is observed that the Council of Succession only exercises its duties and powers in circumstances when there is no reigning Sovereign or when the Sovereign is incapacitated. In this context therefore it would be incorrect for the petitioner to make a comparison as to the status of a Regent appointed by the Sovereign with that of a Regent appointed by the Council of Succession.

16. It is also to be noted that there is no express provision within the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan which lends support to the petitioner’s contention that the appointment of the Regent by the Council of Succession is of lesser effect than had the Sovereign appointed the first respondent as the Regent. Such an assertion is unsupported in law. Moreover, we are of the view that if the same Council of Succession has the power conferred by the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan to choose and confirm the next Sovereign and determine the capacity of the Sultan of Kelantan himself, it would necessarily follow that a Regent appointed by the very same Council of Succession as in this case would have the same power to exercise the royal functions provided under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.

17. The petitioner further contended that different powers would be vested on a Regent depending on the mode in which the Regent is appointed, that is whether appointed by the Council of Succession or by the Sultan of Kelantan himself as the Sovereign. This is so as, according to the petitioner, the alleged crucial phrase of allowing the Regent to exercise the functions as Ruler is missing in Article XXIIA (3) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan unlike as provided for in Article XXIIA (2) and Article XXIIA (4) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan whenever the Sovereign himself appointed a Regent to exercise his functions. For easy reference, we reproduce in full the provision of Article XXIIA Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan as follows:
“XXIIA.
(1) There shall be a Regency in the State under the following conditions, that is to say –
(a) if the Sovereign shall have occasion to be absent from the State for more than thirty days;
(b) if the Sovereign shall be incapacitated from attending to the affairs of the State; or
(c) if the Sovereign is elected to the office, or exercise the functions, of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a period exceeding fifteen days.
(2) In the case of the intended absence of the Sovereign He shall appoint a Regent or Council of Regency as to Him seems most expedient to exercise His functions during His absence from the State.
(3) In the case of the incapacitation of the Sovereign the Council of Succession shall appoint a Regent or Council of Regency as to them seem most expedient and if it shall be necessary to appoint a Council of Regency the provisions of Clauses (2) and (3) of Article XIX of this Part shall apply to such appointment.
(4) The Sovereign shall appoint a Regent or Council of Regency as to Him seems expedient to exercise His functions as a Ruler in the event of His being elected to the office of Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of His exercising the functions of Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a period exceeding fifteen days.
(5) Such Regent or Council of Regency shall cease to act upon the return of the Sovereign to the State or upon His recovery from incapacitation or His ceasing to hold the office or exercise the functions of Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as the case may be.”

18. We are of the view that the above contention of the petitioner that different powers are vested on a Regent appointed by the Council of Succession when compared with the powers vested on a Regent appointed by the petitioner himself as a Sovereign is unsustainable in the circumstances of this case. The petitioner seems to place much emphasis on specific phrases or words used in the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan and consistently refers to the first respondent as the “Regent” which the petitioner distinguishes from the term “Sovereign”. A perusal of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan would show that there is undoubtedly a distinction between a Regent and a Sovereign. We agree that the status of a Regent is not equal to a Sultan, Sovereign and Ruler of the State as contended by learned Counsel for the petitioner. However, we find that the distinction between these two words, “Regent” and “Sovereign”, do not have any effect on the royal prerogatives of the first respondent to appoint or revoke the appointment of any members of the Council of Succession under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan and more importantly in this context of seeking to refer a question of law pursuant to Article LXIII (2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.

19. Coming back to the provision of Article XXIIA Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, it is to be noted that, contextually, different terms are used depending on whether the Regent is appointed under limbs (a), (b) or (c) of Clause (1) of the said Article. In the case of “intended absence” under limb (a), the Regent is to exercise “His functions during His absence from the State”. In the case of the Sovereign being elected as Yang di-Pertuan Agong or exercising the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong under limb (c), the Regent is to exercise “His functions as a Ruler”. We find no such limitations are imposed under limb (b) when the Regent is appointed upon the Sovereign being incapacitated. On this point, we wholly agree with the views expressed by Mohamad Arif Yusof, J. in the High Court of Kuala Lumpur Judicial Review Application No. R3-25-379-2009 between Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra Ibni Sultan Ismail Petra (Applicant) and Yang Maha Mulia Pemangku Raja Kelantan and Others (Respondent) wherein in delivering his written Ruling and Decision on 29th January 2010 on the question whether the subject matter of the application brought about by the applicant Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra against the Regent of Kelantan is “justiciable” at page 24 had this to say:
“Contextually, one can conclude that the Regent is intended to be constitutionally vested with all the necessary powers of the Sovereign during the period of incapacitation. The context certainly does not exclude the exercise of powers under Article VII. Nevertheless this power is temporary in nature and exists only during the period of incapacitation of the Sovereign. In this context, the definition of “His Royal Highness” would validly require the inclusion and not the exclusion of the Regent”.

20. The first respondent in the present case is also referred to in the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan as “His Royal Highness”. The term “His Royal Highness” is defined under Article IV First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan as follows:
“…the Sultan of the State and includes His Successors and, where the context admits, His Predecessors; and, in the case of a Regency, includes the Regent, or, if there is a Council of Regency, such Council” (Emphasis Added).
On the other hand, the term “Sovereign” is defined under Article IV Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan to mean as the Sultan and Ruler of Kelantan.

21. Learned Counsel for the petitioner argued before us that the definition of “His Royal Highness” in Article IV First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan to include the Regent is subject to an important rider, that is the Regent can only fall within the definition of “His Royal Highness” “where the context admits”. According to him, the phrase “His Royal Highness” does not necessarily refer to the Regent under all the provisions of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, but the phrase “His Royal Highness” will always refer to the Sultan. Learned Counsel for the petitioner further contended that the Regent was only to have the right to exercise the powers which are necessary to attend to the affairs of the State as provided for in the First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, namely all the Executive Authority of the Sultan as stated in Article X First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. To fortify his argument on this point, learned Counsel submitted that the First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan deals only in respect of attending to the affairs of the State. The Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, on the other hand, deals with succession of heirs, award of titles and dignities and royal prerogative. These are powers which are personal to the Sultan and only exercisable by him. The Regent therefore is not conferred with these powers under the Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan.

22. With respect, we could not agree with the above contention of the petitioner. A closer look at the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan would reveal that in most of the provisions with regard to the act of carrying out royal functions the term “His Royal Highness” is used and this term “His Royal Highness” appears in both the First Part and the Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. This much is clear from a reading of the relevant provisions of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan, amongst others can be highlighted as follows:
(a) Article VI First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan - His Royal Highness as the Head of Religion of the State.
(b) Article XI First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – Executive authority to be in the name of His Royal Highness.
(c) Article XII First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The appointment of the Menteri Besar by His Royal Highness.
(d) Article XIII First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The appointment of the State Secretary, the State Legal Advisor and the State Financial Officer by His Royal Highness.
(e) Article XV(2)(b) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The withholding of consent for the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.
(f) Article XV(2)(f) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The appointment of any persons to Malay customary ranks, titles, honours and dignities and the designation of the functions appertaining thereto.
(g) Article XV(2)(g) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The regulation of royal courts and palaces.
(h) Article XVI First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The appointment of a State Executive Council.
(i) Article XXVIIA First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The power of pardon.
(j) Article LXIII First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The right to refer questions of law to the Federal Court.
(k) Article IV(4) Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The right to refer questions of law to the Federal Court.
(l) Article VII Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The appointment or constitution of the members of the Council of Succession.
(m) Article VIIA Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The requirement of the taking of oath in the sitting and voting of the Council of Succession.
(n) Article XXXVI Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – Establishment of Council of Advisers.
(o) Article XLIII Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – Conferment of titles and dignities and institute Orders and Badges of Honour and Dignity.
(p) Article XLIV Second Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan – The creation of Bendahara, Temenggong, Laksamana, Panglima and other ranks and titles formerly used.

23. It is our judgment having noted that the definition of “His Royal Highness” includes the Regent it is therefore clear that the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan had envisaged for the Regent to have all the powers and to carry out the royal functions as the Sultan of Kelantan would have had His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kelantan not been incapacitated.

24. We are of the view the contention of the petitioner that the powers vested on a Regent in carrying out his royal functions are only confined to the First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan is untenable in the circumstances of this case. We do not think it should be interpreted in the way as suggested by the learned Counsel for the petitioner, that is interpreting the provisions of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan according to the respective First Part and Second Part and not interpreting them as a whole. In this regard, we are mindful of the fact that the answers to the questions posed to us turn essentially on the construction to be accorded to the relevant provisions of the State Constitution. For this, we would therefore take guidance from the established principles applicable to the interpretation of a Constitution. Basically, a Constitution being the supreme law of a State or Federation, it has to be interpreted differently from ordinary statute. On this point, The Privy Council in Hinds & Ors. v. The Queen; Director of Public Prosecutions v. Jackson Attorney General of Jamaica (Intervener) (1976) 1 ALL ER 353 inter alia said:
“To seek to apply to constitutional instruments the canons of construction applicable to ordinary legislation in the fields of substantive criminal or civil law would… be misleading”.

25. Still on the important guide in interpretation of the Constitution, we would like to quote a passage of the Judgment of the learned Chief Judge of Malaya, Arifin Zakaria, in Dato’ Seri Hj. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin v. Dato’ Seri Dr. Zambry bin Abdul Kadir (Attorney General, Intervener) (2010) 2 MLJ 285 where at page 299 he had this to say:
“The Constitution must be considered as a whole, and so as to give effect, as far as possible, to all its provisions. It is an established canon of constitutional construction that no one provision of the Constitution is to be separated from all the others, and considered alone, but that all the provisions bearing upon a particular subject are to be brought into view and to be so interpreted as to effectuate the great purpose of the instrument. An elementary rule of construction is that, if possible, effect should be given to every part and every word of a Constitution and that, unless there is some clear reason to the contrary, no portion of the fundamental law should be treated as superfluous.”

26. The question that has also to be answered here is whether during the incapacitation of the petitioner and during the pendency of the Regency the petitioner may exercise the powers of “His Royal Highness” under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan? We would answer this question in the negative. This is because, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner as the then Sultan of Kelantan, it is the Regent of Kelantan and the Regent of Kelantan alone who is to exercise the powers attributed to “His Royal Highness” under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The petitioner may only exercise such powers upon returning to the State of Kelantan and assuming office as the Sultan of Kelantan. On the facts before us, the petitioner did not do so upon returning to the State of Kelantan on or about March 2010. In fact, the petitioner remains incapacitated and the first respondent continued to act as the Regent of Kelantan. In the light of the above, the petitioner is not permitted to exercise any power vested with “His Royal Highness” whilst there exists a Regency.

27. We are of the view that there can be only one individual attending to affairs of the State of Kelantan at any one time. In this instance, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner, the first respondent as the Regent of Kelantan and acting Ruler of the State of Kelantan is the only person entitled to exercise the powers of “His Royal Highness” within the meaning of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The petitioner, being incapacitated, cannot be exercising such a power unless he has recovered from such incapacitation. It therefore follows that the petitioner has no locus to refer a question of law to the Federal Court pursuant to Article LXIII(2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan whilst the first respondent is the Regent, as the power to do so is vested solely in the hands of the first respondent until the Regency is brought to an end and the petitioner resumes his role as the Sultan of Kelantan.

Conclusion

28. For the reasons abovestated we allow the jurisdictional objection of the first respondent. Consequentially, having allowed this jurisdictional objection we therefore dismiss both the petitions with no order as to costs.

t.t. Tan Sri Dato’ Zulkefli bin Ahmad Makinuddin
(ZULKEFLI BIN AHMAD MAKINUDIN)
Judge
Federal Court

Dated: 26th November 2010

Counsel for the Petitioner:
Encik Azhar Bin Azizan @ Harun and Encik Abdul Rashid Ismail

Solicitors for the Petitioner:
Messrs. Rashid Zulkifli

Counsel for the 1st Respondent:
Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham, Mr Sunil Abraham and Ms. Farah Shuhadah Razali

Solicitors for the 1st Respondent:
Messrs. Zul Rafique & Partners

Counsel for the 2nd Respondent:
Dato’ Azlan bin Abdul Halim (State Legal Adviser)

Watching Brief for Attorney General’s Chambers:
Datin Hajjah Azizah Haji Nawawi (Senior Federal Counsel) and Puan Suzana Atan

JAWAPAN KE ATAS KENYATAAN SUMBANG TENGKU RAZALEIGH HAMZAH

Kenyataan-kenyataan sumbang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah mengenai keabsahan pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru yang disiarkan oleh portal-portal berita dan akhbar-akhbar tempatan pada 6 dan 7 Disember 2010 adalah dirujuk.

Di antara lainnya, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah telah dilaporkan sebagai meminta Majlis Raja-Raja, Kerajaan Persekutuan dan Kerajaan Kelantan campur tangan bagi menyelesaikan krisis istana yang didakwa oleh beliau sedang mengkucar-kacirkan keadaan di Kelantan.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah juga telah dilaporkan sebagai berkata bahawa pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru pada 13 September 2010 adalah tidak sah kerana ia didakwa telah tidak dibuat mengikut perlembagaan negeri.

Secara lebih spesifik lagi, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah juga telah dilaporkan sebagai berkata bahawa pindaan yang telah dibuat ke atas perlembagaan negeri pada 22 Julai 2010 adalah tidak sah kerana ia dibuat oleh Pemangku Raja dan bukan oleh Sultan Kelantan sendiri.

Inilah ulasan-ulasan ringkas kami ke atas kenyataan-kenyataan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ini:

1. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah jelas adalah seorang pengecut yang tidak bertanggungjawab kerana tidak berani untuk menghadiri, apatah lagi untuk mengemukakan pandangan beliau ini di dalam, mesyuarat Majlis Perajaan Negeri pada 13 September 2010.

2. Sikap “rumah siap pahat berbunyi” seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah inilah yang telah diseru oleh Menteri Besar, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, pada 13 September 2010 supaya dijauhi (“simpan tukul dan pahat dalam peti!”).

3. Daya pengamatan dan sentuhan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ke atas alam sekeliling beliau jelas sudah hilang kerana tidak wujud pun sebarang krisis istana atau keadaan kucar-kacir yang didakwa oleh beliau sedang berlaku di Kelantan (Kelantan aman!).

4. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah tidaklah sebijak yang disangka kerana jelas beliau tidak memahami peruntukan undang-undang negara dan negeri dengan meminta pihak-pihak yang tidak mempunyai sebarang kuasa ke atas perkara ini campur tangan di dalamnya.

5. Sama ada Majlis Raja-Raja, Kerajaan Persekutuan mahupun Kerajaan Kelantan kesemuanya tidak boleh campur tangan di dalam perkara ini kerana, mengikut peruntukan undang-undang, hanya Majlis Perajaan Negeri yang berkuasa ke atasnya.

6. Malah, lebih malang lagi bagi Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Majlis Raja-Raja, Kerajaan Persekutuan mahupun Kerajaan Kelantan sendiri telah dengan secara terbuka mengiktiraf pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru.

7. Ketidaksedaran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ke atas pengiktirafan tiga pihak ini terhadap pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra menyerlahkan lagi hakikat betapa daya pengamatan dan sentuhan beliau ke atas alam sekeliling beliau sudah hilang.

8. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah jelas terkontang-kanting di dalam UMNO kerana Pengerusi dan Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan serta Ketua Pembangkang di Kelantan sendiri mengiktiraf pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra ini.

9. Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah jelas amat kecewa dengan pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra kerana ia membuatkan beliau tidak lagi mampu untuk memperalatkan Istana Kelantan bagi kepentingan politiknya sepertimana yang diamalkannya sebelum ini.

10. Adalah dipercayai Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah masih menyimpan impian untuk menjadi Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan seterusnya Presiden UMNO dan beliau tidak mahu pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra meranapkan impian beliau ini.

Inilah pula ulasan lebih terperinci kami ke atas kenyataan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah bahawa pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru pada 13 September 2010 adalah tidak sah kerana pindaan yang telah dibuat ke atas perlembagaan negeri pada 22 Julai 2010 adalah tidak sah kerana ia dibuat oleh Pemangku Raja dan bukan oleh Sultan Kelantan sendiri:

Sepertimana yang diketahui umum, pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru pada 13 September 2010 adalah dibuat berdasarkan kepada peruntukan Perkara 23A yang telah dimasukkan ke dalam Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) melalui Warta Kerajaan Kelantan bertarikh 22 Julai 2010.

Perkara 23A ini menyebutkan bahawa “Jika sekiranya setelah disiasat dengan sepenuhnya dan secukupnya, Majlis Perajaan Negeri berpendapat bahawa Raja ada mempunyai apa-apa kecacatan yang besar dan berat yang menyalahi sifat-sifat Raja, yang tidak dibenarkan oleh Hukum Syarak untuk menjadi Raja, maka seorang Pengganti hendaklah dipilih dan dilantik oleh Majlis Perajaan Negeri untuk menjadi Raja mengikut syarat-syarat di bawah Bahagian ini.”

Versi bahasa Inggerisnya:
“If after a full and complete enquiry, the Council of Succession shall consider the Sovereign to have some great and serious defect derogatory to the quality of a Sovereign, of which He would not be permitted by Hukum Syarak to become a Sovereign, a Successor shall be chosen and appointed by the Council of Succession to become a Sovereign in accordance with the provisions of this Part.”

Kemasukan Perkara 23A ke dalam Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) ini pula adalah dibuat berdasarkan kepada Perkara 3(2) Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) yang di antara lainnya berbunyi “Syarat-syarat mengenai - (a) naik Takhta Kerajaan dan pangkat kebesaran adat istiadat Melayu; bolehlah dipinda oleh Yang Maha Mulia dengan Perwawai yang dikeluarkan dengan persertaan dan persetujuan Majlis Penasihat Raja, tetapi tidaklah boleh dipinda dengan mana-mana jalan yang lain.”

Versi bahasa Inggerisnya:
“The provisions affecting - (a) the succession to the Throne and Malay customary dignitaries; may be amended by His Royal Highness by Proclamation issued with the consent and concurrence of the Council of Advisers but may not be amended by any other means.”

Sewaktu memfailkan, pada 20 September 2010, petisyen ketiga untuk mencabar keabsahan pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru, peguam Datuk Param Cumaraswamy yang mendakwa mewakili Sultan Ismail Petra dilaporkan sebagai mengungkapkan perkara sama seperti yang dinyatakan oleh Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ini, iaitu bahawa pihaknya akan meminta pandangan Mahkamah Persekutuan sama ada Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Pemangku Raja mempunyai kuasa untuk memasukkan Perkara 23A ke dalam Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) ini.

Keputusan sebulat suara yang telah dibuat oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan pada 26 November 2010 mengenai isu-isu yang berbangkit di dalam petisyen pertama dan petisyen kedua yang didakwa dirujukkan oleh Sultan Ismail Petra kepada mahkamah itu, yang sekaligus membuktikan betapa dangkalnya kenyataan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ini, jelas membuktikan bahawa:

1. Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Pemangku Raja mempunyai kuasa untuk memasukkan Perkara 23A ke dalam Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Kerajaan Kelantan (Bahagian Yang Kedua) ini.

Tegas Mahkamah Persekutuan di dalam soal ini:
It is our judgment having noted that the definition of “His Royal Highness” includes the Regent it is therefore clear that the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan had envisaged for the Regent to have all the powers and to carry out the royal functions as the Sultan of Kelantan would have had His Royal Highness the Sultan of Kelantan not been incapacitated.

2. Hanya Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Pemangku Raja (dan kini sebagai Sultan Kelantan), dan bukan Sultan Ismail Petra, yang mempunyai kuasa untuk “Menyampaikan apa-apa perkara kepada Mahkamah Persekutuan bertanyakan fikirannya berkenaan dengan akibat apa-apa jua syarat daripada Undang-Undang Perlembagaan Tubuh Negeri ini yang berbangkit atau yang nampak kepada Baginda harus akan berbangkit.”

Versi bahasa Inggerisnya:
“Refer to the Federal Court for its opinion any question as to the effect of any provision of the Laws of the Constitution of the State which has arisen or appears to Him to be likely to arise.”

Tegas Mahkamah Persekutuan di dalam soal ini:
The question that has also to be answered here is whether during the incapacitation of the petitioner and during the pendency of the Regency the petitioner may exercise the powers of “His Royal Highness” under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan? We would answer this question in the negative. This is because, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner as the then Sultan of Kelantan, it is the Regent of Kelantan and the Regent of Kelantan alone who is to exercise the powers attributed to “His Royal Highness” under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The petitioner may only exercise such powers upon returning to the State of Kelantan and assuming office as the Sultan of Kelantan. On the facts before us, the petitioner did not do so upon returning to the State of Kelantan on or about March 2010. In fact, the petitioner remains incapacitated and the first respondent continued to act as the Regent of Kelantan. In the light of the above, the petitioner is not permitted to exercise any power vested with “His Royal Highness” whilst there exists a Regency.

Tegas Mahkamah Persekutuan di dalam soal ini lagi:
We are of the view that there can be only one individual attending to affairs of the State of Kelantan at any one time. In this instance, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner, the first respondent as the Regent of Kelantan and acting Ruler of the State of Kelantan is the only person entitled to exercise the powers of “His Royal Highness” within the meaning of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan. The petitioner, being incapacitated, cannot be exercising such a power unless he has recovered from such incapacitation. It therefore follows that the petitioner has no locus to refer a question of law to the Federal Court pursuant to Article LXIII(2) First Part of the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan whilst the first respondent is the Regent, as the power to do so is vested solely in the hands of the first respondent until the Regency is brought to an end and the petitioner resumes his role as the Sultan of Kelantan.

Kesimpulannya, berdasarkan kepada keputusan Mahkamah Persekutuan ini, adalah jelas lagi mutlak bahawa pelantikan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru pada 13 September 2010 adalah sah kerana pindaan yang telah dibuat ke atas perlembagaan negeri pada 22 Julai 2010 adalah sah, dan bahawa Sultan Ismail Petra, apatah lagi Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk mencabarnya di mahkamah.

Malah, kenyataan-kenyataan sumbang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah ini mungkin sahaja boleh menyebabkan beliau didakwa di atas kesalahan menghina mahkamah (di samping di atas kesalahan menghasut).

Sekian, terima kasih.

Disertakan di sini beberapa bahan bacaan khas untuk tatapan Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.

PERLEMBAGAAN PERSEKUTUAN

Perkara 71 (Jaminan Persekutuan terhadap Perlembagaan Negeri):
(1) Persekutuan hendaklah menjamin hak Raja sesuatu Negeri untuk naik takhta dan memegang, menikmati dan menjalankan hak-hak dan keistimewaan-keistimewaan di sisi perlembagaan bagi Raja Negeri itu mengikut Perlembagaan Negeri itu; tetapi apa-apa pertikaian tentang hak naik takhta mana-mana Negeri hendaklah diputuskan semata-mata oleh mana-mana pihak berkuasa, dan semata-mata mengikut apa-apa cara, yang diperuntukkan oleh Perlembagaan Negeri itu.

Versi bahasa Inggerisnya:
71. Federal guarantee of State Constitutions
(1) The Federation shall guarantee the right of a Ruler of a State to succeed and to hold, enjoy and exercise the constitutional rights and privileges of Ruler of that State in accordance with the Constitution of that State; but any dispute as to the title to the succession as Ruler of any State shall be determined solely by such authorities and in such manner as may be provided by the Constitution of that State.

UNDANG-UNDANG PERLEMBAGAAN TUBUH KERAJAAN KELANTAN (BAHAGIAN YANG KEDUA)

6. Tidaklah boleh siapa-siapa pun menaiki Takhta dan Kerajaan Kelantan melainkan kenaikannya itu disahkan oleh Majlis Perajaan Negeri.

Versi bahasa Inggerisnya:
VI. No one person shall succeed to the Throne and Sovereignty of Kelantan unless his succession has been confirmed by the Council of Succession.

KENYATAAN MAJLIS RAJA-RAJA

Majlis Raja-Raja alu-alukan keberangkatan hadir Sultan Muhammad V
(Bernama, 14 Oktober 2010)
KUALA LUMPUR 14 Okt. - Majlis Raja-Raja yang bermesyuarat selama dua hari di Istana Negara di sini bermula semalam mengalu-alukan keberangkatan hadir Sultan Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V sebagai anggota penuh Majlis itu.
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, yang mempengerusikan mesyuarat ke-222 itu, bertitah bahawa Majlis itu mendoakan agar Negeri Kelantan Darul Naim terus aman dan tenteram serta Sultan Muhammad V dapat memerintah dengan adil dan saksama, agar Kelantan menuju kejayaan dan baginda sentiasa dikasihi rakyat.
"Paduka Ayahanda bagi pihak diri sendiri dan juga Yang Maha Mulia Raja-Raja Melayu dan Tuan-Tuan Yang Terutama Yang di-Pertua-Yang di-Pertua Negeri mengucapkan setinggi-tinggi tahniah kepada Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Anakanda atas pemasyhuran Anakanda," titah Sultan Sharafuddin dalam kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Penyimpan Mohor Besar Raja-Raja hari ini.
Sultan Muhammad V dimasyhurkan sebagai Sultan Kelantan ke-29 yang baru di Istana Balai Besar, Kelantan bulan lepas bagi menggantikan ayahanda baginda ya Sultan Ismail Petra yang sedang gering sejak lebih dari setahun. Titah Sultan Sharafuddin, sebagai seorang berpendidikan tinggi dan berpengalaman luas dalam bidang pentadbiran dan pernah dilantik sebagai Pemangku Sultan Kelantan, serta berjiwa rakyat, Majlis Raja-Raja berkeyakinan penuh bahawa Sultan Muhammad V dapat memberi bantuan, input serta idea-idea baru kepada Majlis Mesyuarat Raja-Raja.
Sultan Sharafuddin turut bertitah, baginda dan semua Raja Melayu serta Yang di-Pertua Negeri turut dukacita atas kegeringan Sultan Ismail Petra dan mendoakan semoga kesihatan baginda bertambah baik.

KENYATAAN MENTERI UNDANG-UNDANG (KERAJAAN PERSEKUTUAN)

“Nazri: Council has final say on Kelantan sultan”
(Malaysiakini, 13 September 2010)
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said the federal government considers as valid the appointment of Regent Tengku Mohamad Faris Petra as Kelantan's new ruler.
“It falls under the jurisdiction of the council of succession,” said the de facto law minister today,
“And the federal government accepts whatever the decision that the council comes up with.”
Nazri cited the case of Negeri Sembilan two years ago, where the government did not interfere when the state's council of succession, comprising the four undang (noble chiefs), chose someone other than the sultan's direct male heir as the successor.
Asked if the courts could intervene even if the federal government could not, Nazri emphatically said they could not.

KENYATAAN PEJABAT PEGUAM NEGARA (KERAJAAN PERSEKUTUAN)

Pemasyhuran Tuanku Faris tak boleh dicabar
(Berita Harian, 15 September 2010)
Sumber dari Pejabat Peguam Negara pula berkata, pemasyhuran itu sah mengikut perundangan, malah kerajaan negeri atau pusat juga tidak boleh campur tangan. Katanya, berdasarkan pengamatan Pejabat Peguam Negara, segala prosedur perundangan yang diperlukan untuk mengisytihar Pemangku Raja sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru juga dipatuhi Majlis Perajaan Negeri.

KENYATAAN MENTERI BESAR KELANTAN (KERAJAAN KELANTAN) DAN UMNO KELANTAN

Selesaikan kemelut istana - Nik Aziz
(Bernama, 13 September 2010)
KOTA BHARU 13 Sept. - Menteri Besar Kelantan, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat menganggap pelantikan Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra ibni Sultan Ismail Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru dapat menyelesaikan kemelut istana negeri ini.
Sehubungan itu, beliau meminta segenap lapisan rakyat Kelantan tanpa mengira bangsa, agar mendoakan semoga negeri ini selamat zahir dan batin serta dunia dan akhirat.
Berikutan pemasyhuran itu juga, beliau tidak mahu ada lagi pihak yang mengungkit isu pelantikan Sultan Kelantan setelah Tuanku Ismail Petra gering sejak lebih setahun yang lalu, seperti kata pepatah "rumah siap pahat berbunyi".
"Sekiranya ada lagi tukul dan pahat-pahat berbunyi, kita harap simpan dalam peti masing-masing," katanya kepada pemberita di Istana Negeri, Kubang Kerian di sini hari ini.
Beliau berkata demikian selepas majlis penghadapan dan penyerahan watikah pemasyhuran Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru.
Sementara itu di Bachok, UMNO Kelantan berharap pemasyhuran Sultan Kelantan yang baru itu akan memakmur dan membangunkan Kelantan yang kini jauh ketinggalan berbanding negeri lain.
Timbalan Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan, Datuk Dr. Awang Adek Hussin berkata, UMNO menaruh harapan yang tinggi agar Sultan Kelantan dapat menjadikan Kelantan antara negeri yang termaju di negara ini.
"Bagi pihak UMNO Kelantan kita menzahirkan taat setia yang tidak berbelah bahagi kepada Tuanku Sultan," katanya kepada pemberita pada majlis rumah terbuka sempena Aidilfitri di Dewan Haji Hussin, Perupuk di sini yang dihadiri lebih 5,000 penduduk Bachok, sebilangan besarnya kaum nelayan.

KENYATAAN UMNO KELANTAN

Ciri peribadi Sultan Kelantan selari kehendak rakyat
(Bernama, 15 September 2010)
PASIR MAS 15 Sept - UMNO Kelantan berpendapat ciri peribadi murni Sultan Kelantan yang baru Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra Ibni Sultan Ismail Petra yang begitu prihatin terhadap rakyat dan mempunyai ilmu agama yang tinggi adalah selari dengan kehendak masyarakat Kelantan.
Ketua Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed berkata dengan itu pihaknya yakin rakyat Kelantan akan menumpahkan taat setia yang tidak berbelah-bahagi terhadap Sultan Kelantan itu yang telah dimasyhurkan Isnin lepas.
"Kita bersyukur Sultan Kelantan telah dimasyhurkan dan akan taat setia terhadap baginda yang telah dipilih mengikut perlembagaan dan saya yakin rakyat akan memberikan taat setia terhadap baginda.
"Saya telah beberapa kali mengikuti baginda menziarahi masjid dan apa yang Tuanku lakukan selaras dengan kehendak rakyat Kelantan," katanya kepada pemberita selepas Majlis Mesra Aidilfitri Persatuan Bekas Pegawai Perkhidmatan Pendidikan Malaysia Cawangan Kelantan dan Pasir Mas di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Ibrahim 1 di sini, hari ini.
Mustapa yakin dengan pemasyhuran itu, segala isu yang melanda keluarga diraja itu akan selesai akhirnya.

KENYATAAN DEWAN UNDANGAN NEGERI KELANTAN (KERAJAAN KELANTAN) DAN BN KELANTAN

Dun Kelantan rafak sembah Sultan Muhammad ke-V
(Harakahdaily, 30 September 2010)
KOTA BHARU, 30 Sept: Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) Kelantan Khas yang bermula kira-kira jam 9.00 pagi ini merakamkan ucapan tahniah (merafak sembah) dan sembah taat setia kepada Sultan Kelantan yang baru, Sultan Muhammad Ke-V.
Cadangan merafak sembah (ucapan tahniah) yang mewakili kerajaan negeri dan rakyat Kelantan dikemukakan Adun Air Lanas, Ustaz Abdullah Yakob, sebentar tadi yang disokong oleh Adun Limbongan, Drs Zainuddin Awang Hamat.
Turut menyokong cadangan ucapan tahniah itu, Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Alwi Che Ahmad, (BN-Kok Lanas).
Abdullah ketika berucap membentangkan cadangan rakaman tahniah itu berkata pelantikan dan pemasyhuran baginda sebagai Sultan Kelantan dengan gelaran Sultan Muhammad Ke-V dinanti-nantikan oleh rakyat seluruhnya.
Beliau juga turut mengakui rakyat seluruh Kelantan melahirkan rasa gembira di atas pelantikan dan pemasyhuran baginda sebagai Sultan Kelantan pada 13 September lalu.
Sambungnya lagi, pelantikan itu juga sejajar dengan kehendak rakyat memandangkan baginda lebih mengambil perhatian serta menyelesaikan masalah mereka.
“Kami dari pihak kerajaan negeri sentiasa menyokong Tuanku sejak mula Tuanku ditabalkan sebagai Sultan Kelantan lagi,” ujarnya.
Katanya lagi, perlantikan baginda bagi menggantikan ayahanda baginda yang sedang gering bertepatan dan tidak menyalahi undang-undang memandangkan Sultan Ismail Petra tidak mampu lagi menjalankan tanggungjawab sebagai seorang pemimpin.
Abdullah berkata, baginda yang gemar turun ke bawah untuk menunaikan solat sunat hajat dan menyelami masalah rakyat begitu mengharukan rakyat seluruh negeri ini.
Sementara itu, Alwi turut menyokong perlantikan dan pemasyhuran Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru.
“Saya mewakili Barisan Nasional Kelantan menyokong penuh di atas perlantikan Tuanku sebagai Sultan Kelantan yang baru yang membawa gelaran Sultan Muhammad Ke-V,” ujarnya.
Drs Zainuddin Awang Hamat, ketika mengambil bahagian dalam perbahasan bagi menyokong ucapan merafak sembah itu, mengingatkan mana-mana pihak supaya tidak mengganggu-gugat kedaulatan Sultan Kelantan sekarang.
Katanya, pelantikan baginda yang sah di sisi undang-undang itu jangan sekali-kali dicabar oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

SALAH SATU PUNCA PENARIKAN BALIK DARJAH-DARJAH KEBESARAN TENGKU RAZALEIGH HAMZAH

KU LI: TIGA KEADAAN TIDAK TERJADI, KESAHIHAN SULTAN BARU DIRAGUI
(TERJEMAHAN DARI AKHBAR SIN CHEW DAILY, 14 SEPTEMBER 2010)

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Sept – Timbalan Yang Dipertua Majlis Perajaan Negeri Kelantan, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, berkata, dalam keadaan Baginda Sultan Kelantan masih hidup, tidak menghilangkan diri dari Kelantan tanpa alasan kukuh lebih daripada setahun ataupun turun dari takhta secara sukarela, kesahihan pemasyhuran Pemangku Raja Kelantan, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, sebagai Sultan adalah diragui.

Ahli Parlimen Gua Musang itu juga memberitahu Sin Chew Daily bahawa jika kedudukan Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra sebagai Sultan tidak sah dari segi undang-undang, semua akta yang bakal diluluskan oleh dewan undangan negeri yang mendapat perkenan Baginda juga tidak sah.

Beliau berkata, hanya dalam tiga keadaan sahaja Sultan boleh digantikan, iaitu jika Sultan mangkat, menghilangkan diri dari Kelantan tanpa alasan kukuh lebih daripada setahun ataupun jika Sultan turun dari takhta secara sukarela. Walau bagaimanapun, ketiga-tiga keadaan itu tidak berlaku di Kelantan, maka tiada sebab pemasyhuran Sultan baru dilakukan.

“Apa yang paling dibimbangkan ialah kedudukan Sultan yang tidak sah dari segi undang-undang memberi kesan yang mendalam; rang undang-undang yang diluluskan oleh dewan undangan negeri perlu mendapat perkenan Sultan sebelum dikuatkuasakan sebagai akta; jika Sultan tidak sah dari segi undang-undang akta berkenaan juga turut menjadi tidak sah dan belanjawan tahunan yang dibahaskan dalam dewan juga tidak sah”.

“Baginda Sultan juga perlu menghadiri Mesyuarat Majlis Raja-Raja, membuat keputusan mengenai perlantikan hakim dan sebagainya, ini akan memberi kesan kepada semua, sebab itulah timbulnya kebimbangan”.

Beliau berpendapat perkara sebegini berlaku disebabkan undang-undang berkaitan institusi raja tidak lagi dihormati.

PENARIKAN BALIK DARJAH-DARJAH KEBESARAN TENGKU RAZALEIGH HAMZAH

SETIAUSAHA KERAJAAN KELANTAN

KENYATAAN AKHBAR

Menjunjung titah perintah Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, al-Sultan Kelantan, saya memaklumkan bahawa Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, al-Sultan Kelantan, telah mengampuni perkenan perkara berikut:

1. Menarik balik Darjah Kerabat Yang Amat Dihormati (D.K.) (Al-Yunusi) serta Tauliah Pelantikan Ahli Yang Pertama (Seri Paduka) Bagi Darjah Kebesaran Mahkota Kelantan Yang Amat Mulia (S.P.M.K.) (Al-Muhammadi I) yang telah dianugerahkan kepada Yang Berhormat Mulia Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, No. K/P: 370413-03-5083, sebelum ini, mulai pada 2 Disember 2010.

2. Menarik balik Tauliah Pelantikan Ahli Yang Kedua (Dato’ Paduka) Bagi Darjah Kebesaran Jiwa Mahkota Kelantan Yang Amat Mulia (D.J.M.K.) (Al-Ismaili II) serta Pelantikan Jaksa Pendamai (J.P.) yang telah dianugerahkan kepada Dr Haji Yaacob Hussain Merican, No. K/P: 380920-03-5597, sebelum ini, mulai pada 2 Disember 2010.

Kedua mereka yang terbabit dalam penarikan di atas telah dimaklumkan melalui surat pada tarikh-tarikh tersebut.

Adapun penarikan balik ini adalah hak Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, al-Sultan Kelantan, yang dijalankan menurut hemah dan budi bicara Baginda jua.

(DATO’ SERI SETIA RAJA DATO’ HAJI MOHD AISERI ALIAS)
Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan

Bertarikh Pada: 28 Zulhijjah 1431H
Bersamaan: 5 Disember 2010

SIDANG MEDIA DI ISTANA BALAI BESAR MALAM INI

Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa satu sidang media khas dijangka akan diadakan di Istana Balai Besar, Kota Bharu, pada jam 11 malam ini, 5 Disember 2010.

Dijangka hadir di dalam sidang media ini adalah Dato’ Seri Setia Raja Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Dato’ Mohd Aiseri Alias, Dato’ Pengelola Istana Diraja, Dato’ Abdul Halim Hamad, dan Ahli Majlis Perajaan Negeri, Dato’ Sukri Mohamad.

Semua wakil media adalah dijemput untuk hadir ke sidang tersebut.

CIK PUAN ELIA SUHANA MASIH ISTERI SULTAN ISMAIL PETRA YANG SAH

Alhamdulillah, Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Syariah Kota Bharu, Abdullah Man, telah memutuskan pada hari ini, 5 Disember 2010, bahawa ikatan perkahwinan di antara Sultan Ismail Petra dan Cik Puan Elia Suhana masih sah sekaligus mengekalkan kedudukan Cik Puan Elia Suhana selaku isteri kedua Sultan Ismail Petra.

Sewaktu menolak permohonan pengesahan cerai talak tiga yang didakwa telah dilafazkan oleh Sultan Ismail Petra ke atas Cik Puan Elia Suhana di Singapura pada 12 Februari 2010 yang dikemukakan oleh Datin Nik Rorhana, Hakim Abdullah Man memutuskan bahawa:

1. Mengikut hukum syarak, Datin Nik Rorhana selaku pihak ketiga memang diakui mempunyai hak untuk mengemukakan permohonan bagi memfailkan dakwaan perceraian tersebut.

2. Datin Nik Rorhana bagaimanapun gagal mengemukakan saksi-saksi yang mencukupi bagi membuktikan telah berlakunya lafaz talak sepertimana yang didakwa (hanya seorang sahaja daripada saksi-saksi yang beliau kemukakan boleh diterima oleh mahkamah).

3. Usaha hakim mendapatkan pengesahan lafaz cerai dari Sultan Ismail Petra tidak boleh diterima kerana ia tidak memenuhi prosedur mahkamah (permintaan defendan supaya ia dihadiri oleh plaintif, defendan dan peguam bela kedua-dua belah pihak telah tidak dipenuhi; dan hakim tidak boleh bertindak selaku seorang saksi).

PERUBAHAN TARIKH SAMBUTAN HARI KEPUTERAAN SULTAN KELANTAN

Sukacita dimaklumkan bahawa bermula dari tahun 2011 tarikh sambutan hari keputeraan Sultan Kelantan yang sebelum ini adalah pada 30 dan 31 Mac akan diubah menjadi 11 dan 12 November.

Perubahan tarikh ini sedang berada di dalam proses pewartaan dan makluman rasmi mengenainya akan dibuat kemudian oleh Dato’ Seri Setia Raja Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Dato’ Mohd Aiseri Alias.

SULTAN MUHAMMAD KE-V DI MASJID TELIPOT HARI INI

Pada hari ini, Jumaat, 3 Disember 2010, Sultan Muhammad Ke-V dijadual menunaikan sembahyang Jumaat di Masjid Telipot, Kota Bharu. Kepada rakyat yang ingin bersembahyang Jumaat bersama-sama Baginda dipersilakanlah ke masjid tersebut.

SULTAN ISMAIL PETRA DIMASUKKAN KE WAD KECEMASAN HOSPITAL RAJA PEREMPUAN ZAINAB II

Pada pukul 9.15 malam hari Isnin, 29 November 2010, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra, yang diiringi oleh Raja Perempuan Anis, Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra Sultan Ismail Petra, Tengku Merjan Sultan Yahya Petra dan Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Mohd Hamzah, telah dimasukkan ke wad kecemasan Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, kerana disyaki mengalami masalah jangkitan kuman pada paru-paru Baginda. Bagaimanapun, belum pun sempat rawatan lengkap oleh pakar-pakar perubatan dibuat ke atas Baginda, Baginda telah dibawa pulang ke Istana Mahkota, Kubang Kerian, menjelang pukul 10.00 malam hari yang sama.

Kami ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk menyeru pihak-pihak yang menjadikan penjagaan kesihatan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra sebagai hak peribadi mereka supaya lebih bertanggungjawab di dalam soal penjagaan kesihatan Baginda ini. Sudahlah sewaktu Baginda mula-mula mengalami kegeringan dahulu anda semua melengah-lengahkan usaha membawa Baginda ke Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, mengapakah kali ini pun anda semua mengambil masa yang sangat lama untuk membawa Baginda ke Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II sedangkan Baginda dikesan mengalami masalah sejak lima hari lepas lagi?

Jika anda semua benar-benar prihatin ke atas kesihatan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra, anda semua sepatutnya terus membawa Baginda sama ada ke Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia atau Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II dengan segera sebaik sahaja Baginda dikesan mempunyai masalah kesihatan yang serius. Kami dan rakyat jelata amat tertanya-tanya mengapa Baginda terus dibawa pulang setelah tidak sampai pun satu jam menerima rawatan sedangkan dengan kedudukan Baginda selaku bekas Sultan dan selaku ayahanda kepada Sultan sekarang Baginda sepatutnya menerima rawatan terbaik dari pakar-pakar perubatan.

Kami merasa sangat hairan mengapakah anda semua begitu cepat mahu membawa pulang Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra sedangkan risiko yang terpaksa dihadapi oleh Baginda ekoran daripada tindakan kurang bijak anda semua ini adalah amat tinggi sekali. Mereka yang arif dengan dunia perubatan malah rakyat jelata yang berada di perkarangan hospital itu sekalipun kedengaran bersungut bahawa bagaimanakah rumusan tentang keadaan kesihatan Baginda dapat dicapai di dalam masa tidak sampai pun satu jam sedangkan ujian-ujian perubatan yang menyentuh tentang masalah jangkitan kuman ini biasanya memakan masa yang jauh lebih lama.

Mengapakah anda semua begitu bertegas mahu membawa pulang Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra secepat mungkin sedangkan Baginda sepatutnya menerima rawatan terbaik yang hanya mampu diberikan oleh pakar-pakar perubatan di hospital kerana hanya di hospital sahajalah rawatan rapi yang menggunakan peralatan-peralatan, mesin-mesin dan makmal-makmal tertentu mampu diberikan? Jika aspek keselesaan Baginda yang menjadi pertimbangan anda semua, maka wad diraja yang telah dibaikpulih, sama ada di Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II atau Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, kini sudah sangat menyelesakan.

Pengarah Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Dato’ Dr Ghazali Hasni Md Hassan, juga sepatutnya lebih bertanggungjawab di dalam soal ini dengan memastikan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra menerima rawatan perubatan terbaik di hospital kendaliannya itu. Beliau sepatutnya mengambil inisiatif untuk menyelia dan mempengerusikan perbincangan di antara pakar-pakar perubatan berhubung dengan tahap kesihatan mutakhir Baginda serta segera menyembahmaklumkannya kepada Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Muhammad Ke-V dan bukannya menyerahkan tugas ini kepada Pengarah Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri, Dr Kamil Hassan.

Ingatlah, keabsahan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Muhammad Ke-V selaku Sultan Kelantan telah pun diperakui oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan sendiri, jadi mana-mana pihak, sama ada pakar-pakar perubatan atau kaum keluarga Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra sekalipun, tidaklah boleh membelakangkan Baginda di dalam apa sahaja perkara yang melibatkan keadaan kesihatan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra yang juga merupakan milik rakyat jelata. Sudah-sudahlah mempergunakan Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Ismail Petra untuk kepentingan diri sendiri sehingga ke tahap boleh memudaratkan kesihatan Baginda.

SAMBUTAN KEBERANGKATAN PULANG SULTAN MUHAMMAD KE-V KE KELANTAN

Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia al-Sultan Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad Ke-V, yang di dalam keberangkatan pulang melalui jalan darat ke Kota Bharu dari Kuala Lumpur dijangka akan tiba di Masjid Mahligai, Bachok, menjelang waktu solat Asar hari Selasa, 30 November 2010.

Keberangkatan pulang buat kali pertama Sultan Muhammad Ke-V ke Kelantan setelah kembali dari menunaikan fardhu haji di Mekah ini dijangka akan disambut oleh rakyat dari kawasan berdekatan yang akan menunaikan solat Asar bersama-sama Baginda di masjid itu.

PENGIKTIRAFAN MAHKAMAH PERSEKUTUAN KE ATAS KEABSAHAN SULTAN MUHAMMAD KE-V SELAKU SULTAN KELANTAN

Alhamdulillah, akhirnya kebenaran berjaya juga mengatasi kebatilan.

Firman Allah, mafhumnya: Dan janganlah kamu mencampuradukkan yang benar itu dengan yang salah dan kamu sembunyikan yang benar itu pula padahal kamu semua mengetahuinya. (Surah al-Baqarah: Ayat 42)

Firman Allah lagi, mafhumnya: Dan katakanlah, “Telah datang kebenaran (Islam) dan hilang lenyaplah perkara yang salah (kufur dan syirik), sesungguhnya yang salah itu sememangnya satu perkara yang tetap lenyap”. (Surah al-Isra’: Ayat 81)

Bersama-sama ini disertakan laporan-laporan agensi-agensi berita Bernama dan AFP bertarikh 26 November 2010 serta laporan-laporan akhbar-akhbar Kosmo!, Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, New Straits Times, The Star dan Sinar Harian bertarikh 27 November 2010 mengenai pengiktirafan Mahkamah Persekutuan ke atas keabsahan Sultan Muhammad Ke-V selaku Sultan Kelantan.

Tidak dapat disangkal lagi bahawa keputusan secara sebulat suara yang telah dibuat oleh Hakim-Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan ke atas kedua-dua petisyen ini sekaligus menjadikan keputusan ke atas satu lagi petisyen yang masih belum dibicarakan sebagai tidak lebih daripada satu latihan akademik semata-mata.

Adalah diharapkan bahawa keputusan yang telah dibuat oleh Hakim-Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan ke atas kedua-dua petisyen ini akan melenyapkan terus apa-apa keraguan ke atas keabsahan Sultan Muhammad Ke-V yang masih timbul atau yang masih sengaja ditimbulkan dengan niat-niat tertentu oleh mana-mana pihak.

Allahu Akbar.

Federal Court Dismisses Ex-Kelantan Sultan's Petitions
(Bernama)

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- The Regent of Kelantan assumed full power of the Sultan under the Laws of the Kelantan Constitution, once the ruler was incapacitated, the Federal Court ruled here Friday.

Federal Court judge Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, heading a three-man panel, said the Kelantan Constitution also envisaged for the Regent to carry out the royal functions as a Sultan would have had if His Royal Highness was not incapacitated.

"We are of the view that there can be only one individual attending to the affairs of the State of Kelantan at any one time," he said.

Therefore, Zulkefli said, Tuanku Ismail Petra Ibni Sultan Yahya Petra had no locus (legal standing) to refer questions for determination of the Federal Court concerning the Regent's power and authority during a Sultan's incapacitation.

The panel, which also comprises justices Datuk Md Raus Sharif and Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong, unanimously dismissed two petitions filed by Tuanku Ismail Petra after allowing a preliminary objection raised by counsel Tan Sri Cecil Abraham representing respondent, Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra), that his father did not have the jurisdiction to refer questions.

Tuanku Ismail Petra who filed the petitions respectively, on May 5 and June 22, this year, named Sultan Muhammad V and the Kelantan Government as respondents.

In the petitions, Tuanku Ismail Petra sought the opinion of the apex court to determine several questions of law on whether Sultan Muhammad V, then acting as the Regent of the state, among others, had the authority to remove and appoint any member of the Council of Succession.

Another question which Tuanku Ismail Petra sought the Federal Court to determine was whether Sultan Muhammad V, as the then-regent, had the power to restrict Tuanku Ismail Petra's movement to within Istana Mahkota, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) was appointed the Regent of Kelantan on May 24, last year, by the Council of Succession by reason of his father's illness.
On Sept 13, Sultan Muhammad V was appointed the Sultan of Kelantan by the Council of Succession. Tuanku Ismail Petra has been incapacitated since May last year.

In his 33-page judgment, Zulkefli said Tuanku Ismail Petra could not exercise his powers as His Royal Highness under the Kelantan Constitution, pending ascension of the Regency while he was incapacitated.

"This is because due to the incapacitation of the petitioner (Tuanku Ismail Petra) as the then Sultan of Kelantan, it is the Regent of Kelantan and the Regent of Kelantan alone who is to exercise the powers attributed to "His Royal Highness" under the Laws of the Constitution of Kelantan," he said.

The judge said Tuanku Ismail Petra might only exercise such powers upon returning to Kelantan and assuming office as the Sultan of Kelantan.

"On the facts before us, the petitioner did not do so upon returning to the State of Kelantan on or about March 2010. In fact, the petitioner remains incapacitated and the first respondent (Sultan Muhammad V) continued to act as the Regent of Kelantan.

"In the light of the above, the petitioner is not permitted to exercise any power vested with "His Royal Highness" whilst there exists a Regency.

"The petitioner being incapacitated cannot be exercising such a power unless he has recovered from such incapacitation," he said.

Zulkefli said there was no distinction between the powers exercised by Sultan Muhammad V when he was the Regent of Kelantan and the powers exercised by a reigning Sultan, regardless of whether Sultan Muhammad V was appointed by the Council of Succession or by the then-Sultan of Kelantan, Tuanku Ismail Petra.

Kelantan's ex-sultan loses bid to reclaim throne
(AFP)

KUALA LUMPUR: A three-member Federal Court panel threw out two petitions by Tengku Ismail Petra Yahya Petra, the former ruler of northern Kelantan state, in favor of his eldest son, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra, who is now Sultan Muhammad V.

After months of palace intrigue that captivated Malaysia, Tengku Muhammad Faris was appointed the new ruler in September, using his powers as regent to replace his frail father who has been incapacitated since a stroke a year ago.

The former Sultan’s two sons had been at loggerheads for the past year since the younger brother was removed from the state’s succession council, which determines who is the next ruler.

In handing down the unanimous judgement on two of three petitions filed against the present Kelantan ruler, Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said the Regent was vested with all the powers of the Sultan.

“We are of the view that there can be only one individual attending to affairs of the state of Kelantan at any one time,” he said.

Malaysia has nine Sultans, who are the royal rulers and guardians of Islam in their respective states. Under a unique rotating monarchy, they each take turns to rule for five years as the nation’s king.

The royals assume a ceremonial role and rarely speak publicly. The events in Kelantan — including earlier allegations that the ailing Sultan had been held in hospital against his will — caused a major stir.

Last year, the Kelantan royals were embroiled in another controversy when the teenage wife of the younger son slipped away and returned to her family in Indonesia alleging abuse, rape and torture by the prince.

The former ruler’s lawyer Azhar Azizan Harun, said the court disagreed with their assertion that, as regent, Tengku Muhammad Faris’ authority and powers were limited.

“The effect of today’s ruling is that once the regent is appointed, he is able to exercise all royal functions,” he said.

Azhar said the court had yet to rule on a third petition which challenged the present Sultan’s amendment of the state constitution in order to allow for more grounds to declare his father incapacitated.

“No date has been set for a ruling on the third petition and I will have to seek instructions from my client on how to proceed,” he said.

Ex-ruler fails in court bid
(New Straits Times, muka surat 11)

PUTRAJAYA: The regent of Kelantan is the only person who can exercise the powers attributed to His Royal Highness due to the incapacitation of the former Sultan of Kelantan.

As such, the former ruler of Kelantan, Tuanku Ismail Petra Ibni Sultan Yahya Petra, has no power to refer questions of law as he was no longer a Sultan.

This was ruled by the apex court yesterday in dismissing Tuanku Ismail Petra's two petitions without costs, which were filed against his eldest son, Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra).

He also named the Kelantan government as the second respondent.

Tuanku Ismail Petra had sought the opinion of the court to determine his son's powers to reconstitute the Council of Succession and the fundamental liberties of the sultan.

The three-man bench, comprising Federal Court judges Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, Datuk Seri Raus Sharif and Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong, said there could only be one individual attending to affairs of Kelantan at any one time.

"In this instance, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner, the regent of Kelantan and the acting ruler of the state is the only person entitled to exercise the powers of His Royal Highness," said Zulkefli.

"The petitioner being incapacitated cannot be exercising such a power unless he has recovered from incapacitation."

Therefore, Zulkefli said, Tuanku Ismail Petra had no locus standi to refer questions of law to the court.

He said this in allowing the jurisdictional objection raised by Sultan Muhammad V's counsel, Tan Sri Cecil Abraham, previously.

"The petitioner's principal complaint focused on the first respondent's purported exercise of his discretionary powers as a Regent in revoking Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra's appointment as a Member of the Council of Succession, among others," he said.

"To the petitioner, the first respondent was not empowered to exercise such discretion in the performance of his royal functions as a regent."

Zulkefli said there was no distinction between the powers exercised by a reigning Sultan appointed by the council and the previous Sultan.

He said among the duties of the council was to choose, appoint and confirm an heir as reigning sovereign on failure of eligible heirs or refusal to confirm any eligible heirs. This could only be exercised in circumstances when there was no reigning sovereign or when the sovereign was incapacitated.

"The petitioner's contention that the appointment of the regent by the Council of Succession is of lesser effect than if the regent was appointed by the sovereign is not supported by law and is unsustainable."

Therefore, Zulkefli said, the definition of "His Royal Highness" includes the regent and the regent was to have all the powers and to carry out the royal functions as the Sultan of Kelantan would have had the then sultan not been incapacitated.

"The petitioner may only exercise his powers upon returning to the State and assuming office as the Sultan of Kelantan," he said.

Tuanku Ismail Petra filed his petitions on May 5 and June 22. In his first petition, he sought an opinion of the Federal Court on two issues:
- Whether the regent of the state, acting during the sultan's incapacitation, was entitled to assume for himself the full powers of the Sultan, to so conduct himself as if the Sultan was no longer the sovereign of the state;
- Whether the regent, acting as such during the Sultan's incapacitation, has the power or authority to appoint or remove any member of the Council of Succession appointed by the Sultan.

In his second petition, he sought the court's opinion on additional questions related to the fundamental liberties of the Sultan.

Tuanku Ismail Petra has remained incapacitated after suffering a stroke in May last year.

New Sultan is right, rules court
(The Star, muka surat N36)

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has ruled that a Regent has the exclusive power to carry out royal functions when the Sultan is incapacitated.

In a landmark ruling – dismissing two petitions filed by former Kelantan Ruler, Tuanku Ismail Petra Sultan Yahya Petra, over the meaning of the phrase “His Royal Highness” and fundamental liberties of the Sultan – the apex court held that then Kelantan Regent, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (current Ruler Sultan Muhammad V), was vested with all the powers of “His Royal Highness” under various provisions in the state constitution.

Senior Federal (Counsel) Datin Azizah Nawawi, who acted for the Attorney-General’s Chambers, told The Star that this was a landmark case as the apex court had interpreted for the first time the extent of a Regent’s power.

“This ruling means that the Regent can carry out the functions of a Sultan where the term refers to His Royal Highness. It will apply to other states which have similar provisions on the power of a Regent,” added Azizah. “Once the Regency is appointed, there can only be one Ruler in the state.”

In allowing the jurisdictional objection by Tengku Muhammad Faris yesterday, Federal Court judge, Justice Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, said:
“It is our judgment; having noted that the definition of ‘His Royal Highness’ includes the Regent, it is therefore clear that the Kelantan Constitution had envisaged for the Regent to have all the powers to carry out the royal functions as the Sultan of Kelantan would have, had the Sultan not been incapacitated.”

With him on the panel were Federal Court judges Justice Md Raus Sharif and Abdull Hamid Embong.

“We are of the view that there can be only one individual attending to affairs of the state at any one time. In this instance, due to the incapacitation of the petitioner, the first respondent as the Regent and the acting Ruler is the only person entitled to exercise the powers of ‘His Royal Highness’ within the meaning of the Kelantan Constitution,” Justice Zulkefli Ahmad added when reading out the unanimous decision.

The Bench also ruled that there was no distinction between the powers exercised by Tengku Muhammad Faris when he was Regent and the powers exercised by a reigning Sultan regardless of whether he (Tengku Muhammad Faris) was appointed by the Council of Succession or by the then Sultan of Kelantan.

Tuanku Ismail filed petitions on May 5, June 22 and Sept 20, and named Tengku Muhammad Faris and the Kelantan Government as respondents.

Justice Zulkefli said that the contention of Tuanku Ismail that different powers were vested on a Regent appointed by the council and himself as a sovereign was unsustainable.

Mahkamah Persekutuan Tolak Petisyen Bekas Sultan Kelantan
(Bernama, Kosmo! muka surat 2, Berita Harian muka surat 6 dan Utusan Malaysia muka surat 15)

PUTRAJAYA, 26 Nov (Bernama) -- Mahkamah Persekutuan di sini memutuskan bahawa Tengku Mahkota Kelantan berkuasa penuh sebagai Sultan apabila Sultan negeri itu mengalami ketidakupayaan seperti yang diperuntukkan oleh Perlembagaan Negeri Kelantan.

Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan, Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin, yang mengetuai panel tiga hakim, berkata Perlembagaan Negeri Kelantan juga memperuntukkan bahawa Tengku Mahkota boleh melaksanakan tugas Sultan walaupun Sultan tidak mengalami ketidakupayaan.

"Kami berpendapat hanya seorang individu patut menguruskan hal ehwal Negeri Kelantan pada satu-satu masa," kata beliau.

Oleh itu, kata, Zulkefli, Tuanku Ismail Petra Ibni Sultan Yahya Petra tidak mempunyai kedudukan daripada segi undang-undang untuk meminta Mahkamah Persekutuan membuat keputusan tentang persoalan berkaitan kuasa dan kewibawaan Tengku Mahkota itu ketika Sultan mengalami ketidakupayaan.

Panel itu, yang turut dianggotai Hakim Datuk Md Raus Sharif dan Hakim Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong, sebulat suara menolak petisyen Tuanku Ismail Petra setelah membenarkan bantahan awal peguam Tan Sri Cecil Abraham, yang mewakili responden, Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra), bahawa ayahanda baginda tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa untuk merujuk persoalan tersebut kepada mahkamah berkenaan.

Tuanku Ismail Petra, yang memfailkan petisyen berkenaan pada 5 Mei dan 22 Jun tahun ini, menamakan Sultan Muhammad V dan Kerajaan Negeri Kelantan sebagai responden.

Dalam petisyen itu, Tuanku Ismail Petra memohon Mahkamah Persekutan membuat keputusan tentang beberapa persoalan undang-undang sama ada Sultan Muhammad V, yang memangku jawatan Tengku Mahkota ketika itu, mempunyai kuasa untuk memecat atau melantik anggota Majlis Perajaan.

Satu lagi persoalan yang Tuanku Ismail Petra minta Mahkamah Persekutuan pertimbangkan ialah sama ada Sultan Muhammad V, yang menjadi Tengku Mahkota ketika itu, mempunyai kuasa untuk mengehadkan pergerakan Tuanku Ismail Petra hanya di dalam Istana Mahkota, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan.

Sultan Muhammad V (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) dilantik sebagai Tengku Mahkota Kelantan pada 24 Mei tahun lepas oleh Majlis Perajaan atas alasan ayahanda baginda gering.

Pada 13 Sept, Sultan Muhammad V dilantik sebagai Sultan Kelantan oleh Majlis Perajaan. Tuanku Ismail Petra mengalami ketidakupayaan sejak Mei tahun lepas.

Dalam penghakiman setebal 33 muka surat, Zulkefli berkata Tuanku Ismail Petra tidak boleh melaksanakan kuasa sebagai Sultan mengikut Perlembagaan Negeri Kelantan selagi Tengku Mahkota menyandang jawatan ketika baginda mengalami ketidakupayaan.

"Ini kerana, disebabkan ketidakupayaan pempetisyen (Tuanku Ismail Petra) sebagai Sultan Kelantan ketika itu, Tengku Mahkota Kelantanlah dan hanya Tengku Mahkota Kelantan sahaja yang akan melaksanakan kuasa yang diberi kepada 'Sultan' mengikut Perlembagaan Negeri Kelantan," kata beliau.

Katanya Tuanku Ismail Petra hanya boleh melaksanakan kuasa itu setelah kembali semula ke Kelantan dan menyandang jawatan sebagai Sultan Kelantan.

"Mengikut fakta yang ada di hadapan kami, pempetisyen tidak berbuat demikian sebaik saja pulang ke Kelantan pada atau kira-kira pada Mac 2010. Malah, pempetisyen terus berada dalam keadaan tidak berupaya manakala responden pertama (Sultan Muhammad V) terus menjadi Tengku Mahkota Kelantan.

"Berlandaskan alasan di atas, pempetisyen tidak boleh melaksanakan sebarang kuasa yang diperuntukkan kepada 'Sultan' selagi ada Tengku Mahkota.

"Pempetisyen, yang mengalami ketidakupayaan, tidak boleh melaksanakan kuasa itu, melainkan beliau pulih daripada ketidakupayaan yang dialaminya," kata beliau.

Zulkefli berkata tiada bezanya antara kuasa yang dilaksanakan Sultan Muhammad V ketika baginda menjadi Tengku Mahkota Kelantan dan kuasa yang dilaksanakan seorang Sultan yang memerintah, tanpa mengira sama ada Sultan Muhammad V dilantik oleh Majlis Perajaan atau oleh Sultan Kelantan ketika itu, Tuanku Ismail Petra.

Sultan Muhammad V kekal berkuasa
(Kosmo! Muka surat 1)

Krisis perlembagaan di Kelantan akhirnya terungkai semalam apabila panel tiga hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan sebulat suara memutuskan bahawa Sultan Muhammad V, Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra, berkuasa penuh sebagai Sultan negeri itu.

Berdasarkan Perlembagaan Negeri Kelantan, Tuanku Muhammad Faris yang sebelum ini merupakan Tengku Mahkota Kelantan juga berkuasa penuh apabila Sultan negeri itu mengalami ketidakupayaan seperti yang diperuntukkan oleh perlembagaan.

Malah panel tiga hakim juga menegaskan bahawa disebabkan masalah ketidakupayaan Tuanku Ismail Petra turut menyebabkan baginda tidak mempunyai kedudukan undang-undang untuk mencabar kedudukan Sultan sekarang.

“Kami berpendapat hanya seorang individu patut menguruskan hal ehwal Negeri Kelantan pada satu-satu masa,” tegas panel tiga hakim diketuai oleh Hakim Mahkamah Persekutuan, Tan Sri Zulkefl Ahmad Makinudin itu.

Dua lagi hakim terlibat dalam membuat keputusan itu ialah Hakim Datuk Md. Raus Sharif dan Hakim Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong.

Bekas Sultan tiada hak rujuk isu Perlembagaan
(Sinar Harian muka surat N15)

PUTRAJAYA – Mahkamah Persekutuan memutuskan bekas Sultan Kelantan, Tuanku Ismail Petra Ibni Sultan Yahya Petra, tiada hak di sisi undang-undang untuk merujuk isu Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri kerana tidak lagi Sultan akibat hilang keupayaan.

Panel tiga hakim dipengerusikan Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin membuat keputusan itu setelah menolak dua petisyen difailkan bekas Sultan Kelantan terhadap anak sulungnya, Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra, dan Kerajaan Kelantan.

Zulkefli berkata, hanya seorang individu boleh bergelar Sultan dalam tempoh satu masa.

“Pempetisyen kehilangan upaya tidak boleh menjalankan kuasa seorang Sultan melainkan baginda sembuh,” katanya.

Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra dimasyhurkan Sultan Kelantan ke-29 pada 13 September lalu dikenali Sultan Muhammad V, setelah Tuanku Ismail Petra gering sejak Mei tahun lalu.

Mahkamah juga memutuskan Sultan Muhammad V, ketika itu Pemangku Sultan dan Sultan Kelantan buat masa sekarang, mempunyai kuasa menjalankan tugas ketika Sultan tidak berupaya berbuat demikian.

“Sultan Ismail Petra hanya boleh menjalankan kuasa Sultan apabila kembali ke Kelantan dan mengambil alih tampuk pemerintahan kerajaan negeri. Berdasarkan fakta di hadapan kami, pempetisyen tidak berbuat demikian selepas pulang Mac lalu.

“Sebaliknya, pempetisyen masih kehilangan upaya dan responden pertama (Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) kekal bertindak sebagai Sultan. Sehubungan itu, pempetisyen tidak dibenarkan menjalankan tugas Sultan dalam kewujudan pemangku,” katanya.

Hakim Zulkefli bersidang bersama Datuk Seri Md Rauf Sharif dan Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong.

Zulkefli dalam penghakimannya berkata, mahkamah tertinggi negara memutuskan Tuanku Ismail Petra tidak mempunyai kuasa mengikut Perlembagaan Negeri merujuk untuk mendapatkan pandangan mengenai kuasa seorang pemangku raja semasa Sultan hilang keupayaan.

Selain itu, Zulkefli berkata, tiada perbezaan Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra dalam menjalankan tugas Pemangku Sultan atau Sultan, tidak kira dilantik sendiri Tuanku Ismail Petra atau Majlis Perajaan Negeri (MPN).