The Sultan's Authority

26th April 2010. Kedah State Assembly Seating stirred a little controversy when Pas’s Lawmaker Mohd Nasir Mustafa raised two questions in the assembly regarding the power of the Sultan. The questions can be seen as challenging the Sultan’s power as the Head of Religion in the state.

Mohd Nasir Mustafa raised two questions in the seating:-

1. How far is the Sultan’s status as the state Head of Religion is respected by the Federal Government?
2. How far the State Government can’t intervene with the administration of Islamic Affairs?

The written questions by Mohd Nasir however were withdrawn by the State Assembly Speaker, Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail and he admitted that he probably overlooked about it after received objections from the oppositions. In prior the questioning were withdrawn, there are commotions occur in the assembly for about 20 minutes between the assembly right and left factions.

The commotions started when the Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid raised his opinion to Abdul Isa to take back his questions. According to Mahdzir, for over 50 years, the Sultan’s authority as the state Head of Religion were never been questioned in the assembly.