ARTIKEL BAHASA MELAYU

Mahkamah Tinggi Putuskan Sultan Tidak Boleh Pecat Menteri Besar

Sultan Perak Sultan Azlan Shah tidak boleh memecat Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin
dari jawatannya kerana beliau (menteri besar) tidak memegang jawatan itu atas perkenan
baginda.

Ini keputusan Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim bila beliau
mengisytiharkan Mohammad Nizar sebagai Menteri Besar Perak yang sah pada 11 Mei.

Dalam penghakiman 78-muka yang dikeluarkan kepada media hari ini, Abdul Aziz berkata
sebaik saja menteri besar dilantik, beliau dan majlis exconya bertanggungjawab kepada Dewan
Undangan Negeri dan tiada siapa lain.

Beliau berkata ini menurut fasal (2), (5), (6) dan (7) Artikel 16 Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri
Perak.

“Sebaik saja menteri besar dilantik, menteri besar mentadbir negeri menerusi Majlis Eksekutif
dan menasihatkan Sultan mengenai hal ehwal negeri sebagaimana diperuntukkan di bawah
Artikel 18 (1) Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Perak.

Hakim Abdul Aziz berkata Sultan bertindak atas nasihat kecuali dalam perkara di mana Undang-
undang Tubuh Negeri Perak memperuntukkan bahawa Baginda boleh bertindak atas budibicara
baginda semata-mata.

Beliau berkata berdasarkan peruntukan dalam Artikel 16, ia mensyaratkan bahawa dewan
undangan adalah pihak yang menentukan sama ada ia menaruh keyakinan terhadap menteri besar
selaku ketua majlis eksekutif menerusi undi tidak percaya terhadap menteri besar.

“Saya berpendapat bahawa pemecatan menteri besar oleh Baginda atau oleh sesiapa lain tidak
sekali-kali dipertimbangkan di bawah Artikel 16 (6) Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Perak,” kata
beliau.
Beliau berkata fasal 7 Artikel 16 undang-undang tubuh itu memperuntukkan bahawa kecuali
menteri besar, anggota-anggota lain Majlis Eksekutif memegang jawatan atas perkenan Sultan
dan mereka (anggota eksekutif) boleh dipecat dari jawatan oleh Sultan yang bertindak atas
nasihat menteri besar.

Bahawasanya bukan setakat peruntukan Fasal 16 (6) UUTKP digunapakai, tetapi Sultan Perak
juga telah pergi lebih jauh bagi memastikan tindakannya mengikut lunas-lunas Undang-Undang
Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri Perak dengan menggunapakai juga peruntukan 18 (2) (b) di bawahnya
(dalam menolak permintaan pembubaran DUN dan menitahkan perletakkan jawatan MB Nizar
dan Exconya).

Jelas ada 3 bahagian di dalam keseluruhan peruntukan 16 (6) tersebut;

1. Jika Menteri Besar telah hilang sokongan majoriti ahli-ahli DUN – sila ambil perhatian
bahawa tidak dinyatakan di sini bagaimana atau prosiding apakah yang wajib untuk
menentukannya.
2. MB hendaklah (“shall”) meletakkan jawatan keseluruhan Ahli Majlis Kerajaan Negeri
(“Exco”) termasuk dirinya sendiri sebagai Ketua Exco – Perkataan “shall” bermaksud
sesuatu yang mandatori untuk dilakukan dan tiada pengecualian dibenarkan.
3. Bahagian Ketiga (di tengah-tengah Fasal 16 (6)): Melainkan dengan permintaannya untuk
pembubaran DUN diperkenankan oleh Sultan – ini bermaksud ada proviso atau
pengecualian tetapi bersyarat di dalam Fasal 16 (6) yang membolehkan MB memohon
pembubaran DUN apabila beliau hilang kepercayaan majoriti tetapi dengan syarat
diperkenan sultan. Tidak ada peruntukan selanjutnya yang mengatakan sultan wajib
menerima permohonan MB di sini. Tetapi yang pastinya ada peruntukan 18 (2) (b) untuk
sultan gunakan budibicaranya.

Dan bagi memastikan tindakannya mengikut bidangkuasa sedia ada ke atasnya, Sultan Perak
telah menggunapakai kuasa budi bicara (kuasa untuk menentukan sesuatu dan bertindak
berdasarkan budibicara dan penilaian sendiri) yang ada padanya di bawah 18 (2)(b) Undang-
Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Perak Darul Ridzuan untuk tidak memperkenankan permintaan
pembubarkan DUN oleh MB. Ini dinyatakan dan digunapakai bagi menunjukkan kuasa yang ada
padanya adalah bukan hanya untuk berfungsi sebagai “rubber-stamp” apabila MB membuat
permintaan untuk pembubaran

Setelah mendengar kesemua pihak dan menilai berdasarkan keterangan yang ada di hadapannya
(yang jelas menunjukkan majoriti telah menolak MB Nizar,) permintaan pembubaran DUN telah
ditolak oleh dan istana dengan menggunakan kuasa budibicara yang ada padanya di bawah
peruntukan 18 (2) (b) (peruntukan 18 (2) (b) menunjukkan sultan bukan hanya perlu berfungsi
sebagai “rubber-stamp” tetapi ada kuasa budi-bicara di bawah bidangkuasa sedia ada yang ada
padanya di dalam menerima atau menolak permohonan pihak eksekutif).

Disebabkan tidak ada perkenan istana untuk DUN dibubarkan dan dan majoriti ahli DUN
mahukan ketua eksekutif baru dan menolak kepimpinan Nizar, baginda Sultan telah menitahkan
MB Nizar dan exconya meletak jawatan secara bersama sebagai ahli-ahli Majlis Kerajaan Negeri
sejajar dengan peruntukan Fasal 16 (6).

Abdul Aziz berkata Sultan Perak telah menemui dan menginterbiu tiga anggota dewan negeri
yang menjadi anggota bebas dan seorang lagi anggota dewan yang sebelumnya keluar dari
Barisan Nasional (BN) tetapi kemudian menyertai semula parti itu dan mereka memberitahu
Sultan tentang sokongan mereka kepada BN secara sukarela tanpa dipaksa oleh mana-mana
pihak.

Abdul Aziz, bagaimanapun berkata, walaupun menerusi pertanyaan Sultan, Baginda berpendapat
Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir mendapat sokongan majoriti anggota dewan undangan
negeri, ini tidak bermakna Baginda boleh membuat keputusan bahawa Mohammad Nizar tidak
lagi mendapat keyakinan majoriti dewan berkenaan.

Beliau berkata pendapat peribadi atau keputusan Sultan tidak relevan kepada maksud Artikel 16
(6) yang memperuntukkan bahawa “jika menteri besar tidak lagi mendapat keyakinan majoriti
anggota dewan undangan, maka, kecuali atas permintaannya, Baginda membubarkan dewan,
beliau dikehendaki mengemukakan peletakan jawatan majlis eksekutif”.
Abdul Aziz mendengar prosiding semakan kehakiman yang dibawa oleh Mohammad Nizar, 52,
memohon writ “quo warranto” dikeluarkan terhadap Zambry untuk memberi sebab atas asas apa
atau kuasa apa beliau adalah menteri besar yang sah.

Abdul Aziz kemudian mengisytiharkan Mohammad Nizar sebagai menteri besar yang sah
selepas memutuskan bahawa beliau (Nizar) tidak pernah melepaskan jawatan menteri besar oleh
kerana beliau tidak kehilangan keyakinan majoriti dewan undangan negeri.

Mohammad Nizar, dilantik sebagai menteri besar pada 17 Mac tahun lepas selepas pakatan
DAP-PKR-PAS memenangi 31 kerusi dalam plihan raya umum ke 12.

Kedua-dua pihak, bagaimanapun, mempunyai 28 kerusi masing-masing, selepas tiga anggota

dewan dari pakatan itu keluar parti untuk menjadi anggota bebas dan yang keempat melompat
semula dari PKR kepada Umno.

Sultan kemudian meminta Mohammad Nizar meletak jawatan menteri besar dan Zambry
mengangkat sumpah selepas mengisytiharkan bahawa Barisan Nasional mempunyai majoriti di
dewan undangan negeri.

Mahkamah Rayuan, pada 12 Mei, membenarkan perintah penangguhan keputusan itu kepada
Zambry dan menetapkan Khamis ini untuk mendengar bersama permohonan Mohammad Nizar
mengetepikan perintah penangguhan.

Dalam penghakimannya, Hakim Abdul Aziz juga berkata beliau tidak meragui bahawa Sultan
mempunyai budibicara mutlak berhubung pelantikan menteri besar dan tidak memperkenan
permintaan bagi pembubaran dewan undangan negeri.

“Saya tidak pernah meragui tentang pelaksanaan prerogatif diraja untuk melantik seorang
menteri besar mengikut Artikel 16 (2) Undang-undang Tubuh Negeri Perak semata-mata
berdasarkan pendapat peribadi Baginda.

“Dan bahawa Baginda boleh memilih apa carapun bagi memuaskan hati dan membuat keputusan
sewajarnya tentang siapa yang mendapat keyakinan majoriti dewan undangan negeri hingga
beliau boleh dilantik sebagai menteri besar untuk memimpin majlis eksekutif,” katanya.
Abdul Aziz bagaimanapun berkata perkara yang sama tidak boleh dilakukan berhubung Artikel
16 (6) dalam memutuskan sama ada menteri besar tidak lagi mendapat keyakinan majoriti
anggota dewan undangan.

– BERNAMA

ARTICLE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Sultan Cannot Dismiss Menteri Besar From Office, High Court Rules

Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah cannot dismiss Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin
from his office because the latter (menteri besar) does not hold office at the pleasure of the ruler.

This is the ruling of High Court Judge Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim when he declared
Mohammad Nizar as the legitimate Menteri Besar of Perak on May 11.

In his 78-page judgment released to the media Monday, Abdul Aziz said once a menteri besar
was appointed, he and his executive council were answerable to the State Legislative Assembly
and to no one else.

He said this was so under clauses (2), (5), (6) and (7) of Article 16 of the Perak State
Constitution.

“Once a menteri besar is appointed, the menteri besar governs the state through the Executive
Council and advises the Sultan on the affairs of the state provided under Article 18 (1) of the
Perak State Constitution.

Justice Abdul Aziz said the Sultan would then act upon the advice except in matters where the
Perak State Constitution provides that his Royal Highness may act in his own absolute
discretion.
He said based on the provisions in Article 16, the said Article requires that the legislative
assembly be the one to determine whether it has confidence in the menteri besar as the head of
the executive council through a vote of no confidence against the menteri besar.

“It is my opinion that the dismissal of the menteri besar by His Royal Highness or by any one
else is never contemplated under Article 16 (6) of the Perak State Constitution,” he said.

He said clause 7 of Article 16 of the Perak State Constitution provided that except for the
menteri besar, other members of the Executive Council held office at the Sultan’s pleasure and
they (the executive members) may be removed from office by the Sultan acting on the menteri
besar’s advice.

Whereas not only the provisions of Clause 16 (6) UUTKP used, but the Sultan of Perak has gone
even further to ensure that its actions in accordance with principles of the Law of the
Constitution of the State of Perak also adopted the provisions of 18 (2) (b) thereunder (the
rejected request the dissolution of the Assembly and ordered the retirement of MB Nizar and
Exco).

Clearly, there are three parts in the overall provision of 16 (6) thereof;
1. If the Chief Minister has lost the majority support of members of the assembly - please note
that it is not stated here how or whether the proceedings are required to determine.

2. MB should be ("shall") resigns the whole of the State Council ("Exco"), including himself as
Chief Executive Council - The word "shall" means mandatory to do something, and no
exceptions allowed.

3. Third Division (in the middle of Clause 16 (6)): Unless the request for the dissolution of the
assembly is allowed by the Sultan - this means no proviso or exception, but conditional on the
Clause 16 (6) which allows MB to apply for the dissolution of the Assembly when he lost faith in
the majority but with conditions acceptable to the sultan. There is no provision that says the next
sultan MB must receive the application here. But that certainly is no provision 18 (2) (b) use its
discretion to the sultan.
And to ensure that its actions in accordance with existing jurisdiction over him, the Sultan of
Perak had adopted discretionary power (the power to decide something and act on their own
discretion and evaluation) are available to him under 18 (2) (b) the Legal Constitution of Perak
Darul Ridzuan to not allow a request by the Assembly to dissolve MB. This is stated and applied
to show the powers available to him is not only to serve as "rubber-stamp" the request for
dissolution MB.
After hearing all the parties and assess the evidence available at the front (which clearly shows
that the majority has rejected the MB Nizar,) request the dissolution of the Assembly were
rejected by the court with the power and discretion available to him under the provisions of 18
(2) (b) (provision 18 (2) (b) shows the sultan not only to serve as "rubber-stamp" but there is a
power of discretion under the existing jurisdiction was with him in the acceptance or rejection of
the executive branch).

Because there is no pleasure palace for the state assembly was dissolved and the majority of the
assembly and wanted a new chief executive and to reject the leadership of Nizar, the Sultan has
ordered the MB Nizar and exco resigned collectively as members of the State Council in
accordance with the provisions of Clause 16 (6).

Abdul Aziz said the Sultan of Perak had met and interviewed the three state assemblymen who
turned independent and another assemblyman who earlier quit Barisan Nasional (BN) but
rejoined and they had informed the ruler that they had pledged their support for BN voluntarily
without any coercion from any party.

Abdul Aziz, however, said although through the Sultan’s enquiries, His Royal Highness had
judged that Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir had the support of the majority of the members
of the state legislative assembly, it did not mean that His Royal Highness could form an opinion
that Mohammad Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the assembly.

He said the Sultan’s personal opinion or judgment was irrelevant to the construction of Article
16 (6) which provided that “if the menteri besar ceases to command the confidence of the
majority of the members of the legislative assembly, then, unless at his request, His Royal
Highness dissolves the assembly, he shall tender the resignation of the executive council”.

Abdul Aziz heard the judicial review proceedings initiated by Mohammad Nizar, 52, seeking for
a writ of “quo warranto” to be issued against Zambry to show cause on what basis or authority
that he (Zambry) was the rightful menteri besar. He then declared Mohammad Nizar as the
rightful menteri besar after ruling that he (Nizar) had not vacated the office of menteri besar
since he had not lost the confidence of the majority of the state legislative assembly.

Mohammad Nizar, was appointed menteri besar on March 17 last year after the DAP-PKR-PAS
alliance won 31 seats in the 12th general election.

Both sides, however, have 28 seats each in the 59-seat assembly after three assemblymen from
the alliance quit their parties to become independents and the fourth jumped back from PKR to
Umno.

Sultan Azlan Shah then asked Mohammad Nizar to step down as menteri besar and swore in
Zambry after declaring that Barisan Nasional had the majority in the state legislative assembly.

The Court of Appeal, on May 12, granted a stay order to Zambry and has fixed this Thursday for
hearing together with Mohammad Nizar’s application to set aside the stay order.

In his written judgment, Justice Abdul Aziz also said he had no doubt that the Sultan has
absolute discretion with regard to the appointment of menteri besar and the withholding of
consent to a request for the dissolution of the state legislative assembly.

“I never had any doubt that the exercise of royal prerogative to appoint a menteri besar pursuant
to Article 16 (2) of the Perak State Constitution is solely based on personal judgment of His
Royal Highness.

“And that His Royal Highness may resort to any means in order to satisfy himself and
accordingly to form his judgment as to whom who is likely to command the confidence of the
majority of the state legislative assembly that he can be appointed as the menteri besar to lead the
executive council,” he said.
Abdul Aziz however said the same thing cannot be done with regard to Article 16 (6) in deciding
whether the menteri besar ceases to command the confidence of the majority of the members of
the legislative assembly.

-Bernama

Sumber: http://www.scribd.com/doc/52814232/Mahkamah-Tinggi-Putuskan-Sultan-Tidak-
Boleh-Pecat-Menteri-Besar