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KUALA LUMPUR: Like any other Malaysian citizen, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim is not above the law, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
However, Dr Mahathir said that Tunku Ismail was free to criticise the Pakatan Harapan government as long as no laws were broken.
"But if there are statements that are deemed seditious, we will take action against him. He is not above the law.
"In fact, nobody in Malaysia is above the law," Dr Mahathir said to reporters during a press conference at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday (April 9).
"He can make that choice himself. He wants to be political, he can. But there is nothing to prevent any citizen of Malaysia from expressing his opinion.
"He is a citizen of Malaysia, nothing more than that," Dr Mahathir said.
Dr Mahathir's remarks came following the confirmation of Datuk Osman Sapian's resignation as the Johor mentri besar.
Prior to the announcement, Tunku Ismail said: "I hope the new mentri besar is not a 'yes man' of Putrajaya. The welfare of the people and well being of the state must always be a priority".
Tunku Ismail has been particularly vocal against Pakatan, with the most recent being his opposition against the government's move to accede to the Rome Statute.
He claimed that the government had failed to consult the Conference of Rulers when it agreed to accede to the Rome Statute and that the government had undermined the rulers' position.
Last Friday, Dr Mahathir announced Malaysia's withdrawal from the Rome Statute, blaming confusion created by one particular person "who wants to be free to beat up people and things like that".
PETALING JAYA: Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim (pic) says he is ready to face any criminal action if he has indeed made any seditious remarks.
"Sila (please do). If I have to go down for upholding the Constitution, the Malay Rulers and Islam. By all means. You know where to find me.
"Like a normal citizen, I have the right to ask questions and give my opinion.
"I'm all yours. Finish what you start," he said in a tweet on Tuesday (April 9).
Dr Mahathir said the Johor Crown Prince was free to criticise the Pakatan government as long as no laws were broken.
"If there are statements that are deemed seditious, we will take action against him. He is not above the law," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
In an earlier tweet, Tunku Ismail also questioned why the Rome Statute issue had taken centre stage.
"I am informed that there will be a biggest demonstration before June 1 orchestrated to put pressure on the Malay Rulers for the government to proceed with the Rome Statute.
"The question is why the Rome Statute has become the main agenda of the government when there are many issues of the rakyat that should be prioritised?" he tweeted.
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