Malaysia not a country with ‘absolute monarchy’, says Mahathir Mohamad as feud with monarchs rages on

The spat over the appointment of Johor’s chief minister shows no signs of abating, with Sultan Ibrahim Ismail – in a veiled attack on Mahathir – demanding that ‘certain parties’ quit interfering in his state’s affairs

The premier responded by saying Malaysia would ‘no longer be democratic’ if the royal family had absolute powers in selecting chief ministers

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Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of Johor. Photo: Facebook

Published: 7:49pm, 10 Apr 2019Updated: 3:35pm, 11 Apr 2019

The powerful sultan of Malaysia’s Johor state on Wednesday demanded that “certain parties” quit interfering in his state’s affairs, as a bitter feud between his royal household and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad showed no sign of abating.

Mahathir immediately volleyed back as he emphasised that the country was not an “absolute monarchy”.

Tension between the royal family and the 93-year-old statesman stretch back decades, but this week has centred on Sultan Ibrahim Ismail’s powers to appoint and fire the state chief minister.

The spat has attracted national attention and rekindled memory of Mahathir’s showdown with the country’s royal houses during his 1981-2003 stint in power.

Johor’s chief minister Osman Sapian, a Mahathir ally, on Monday resigned after weeks of speculation that the sultan – who is among nine state rulers with some constitutional powers – wanted him removed from the post.

Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has had a tense relationship with the royal family for decades. Photo: Bloomberg

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