Lord Indra's Heaven in constitutional turmoil

Perlis is our most northern state. At 841 sg km, it is much smaller in land area than Penang (1048 sg km), by approximately 20%.

Its full title is Perlis Indera Kayangan, which can mean either 'Indra's Heaven' or the 'senses of the fairyland', a remidner of its Thai heritage.

But in May 2015, HRH the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail commanded that there should be no addition to the state's name, such as 'Indera Kayangan' or 'Darul', and that it should just be called 'Perlis', as enshrined in the state constitution.

He reminded everyone the constitution was signed by his father, the late Tuanku Syed Putra Syed Hassan Jamalullail only with the name Perlis for the state, without any addition.

Additionally, Tuanku said the state's name was discussed during a meeting of the Perlis Islamic Religious Council (MAIP).

Apparently MAIP's decision was presented to his late father, who agreed for the name Perlis not to have any addition to it.

Maybe MAIP was embarrassed by the Thai-Sanskrit-ish words of Indera Kayangan? Just kaytee speculating, wakakaka.

Just as well, because Lord Indra's missing and currently there's no sense of any fairyland around in Kangar and Arau.

the Vedic (Hindu) god of the heavens, lightning, thunder, storms, rains and river flows

Instead there's a political storm up north (perhaps wrought by Lord Indra?). The Raja of Perlis, as a constitutional monarch, has somehow got His Royal Self directly involved in politics by installing a  man not supported by the party which won 10 out of the state's 15 seats, namely Barisan Nasional.

He allowed his royal duties to fly out of the constitutional window.

But TS, one of my visitors, asserted HRH holds two trump cards, namely, (1) he has the power to appoint the MB of his choice or (2) he can dissolve the state assembly.

TS reminded us that the Perlis state assembly has not even been convened yet. And whether we like it or not, Pakatan Harapan may get a second bite at Perlis.

Though Shahidan Kassim himself asked TDM for help, TS believes, wakakaka, Tun is currently a little busy so good olde Lim Kit Siang, who is quite free these days, decided to lend a hand.

Hmmm, constitutionally the Raja of Perlis has to appoint the person who has the confidence of the most number of ADUNs to be MB. HRH knows that but he is behaving unconstitutionally, believing he can now give two fingers to the BN.

On principles and the constitution the federal government must remind HRH of his limits.

I also reminded that was exactly what HRH Sultan Selangor did when he ignored Pakatan Rakyat's (not Pakatan Harapan's) proposed candidate for MB after the 2013 GE?

HRH Sultan Selangor instead approved and installed Azmin Ali who was NOT the PR's nominee. And what then did PR say about HRH?

I blogged on that in Remember principles, democracy and majority? in which I lamented LKS asking for a re-election in the state.

Yes, HRH can dissolve the DUN on the recommendation of the illegally appointed MB but that will be blatantly against democracy when at least 9 BN ADUN (minus Azlan Man) will be against that.

The root of the problem in Perlis, to remind everyone, is that HRH Raja Perlis installed Azlan Man against the wishes of the BN majority party, and that is what needs to be corrected to protect the sanctity of the constitution, not to entertain Lim KS and his PH agenda, assuming we Malaysians are still interested in this word.

Yes, let's see how the NEW Malaysia behaves constitutionally, wakakaka.