DIGNITY OF RULERS MUST BE PROTECTED

KANGAR (Malaysia), March 5 (Bernama) -- The Ruler of northern state of
Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, said the dignity of the Malay
rulers needed to be protected at a time when issues that touched on the power of
the rulers and the social contract were being raised.

He said the rulers had a role of protecting all citizens of this country
regardless of race, religion and political affiliation, and this noble role
should be preserved.

Opening a special seminar on the Federal Constitution organised by the state
government here Thursday, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said of late there were groups
questioning the social contract which had actually contributed to the country
achieving independence in 1957.

He said the social contract which aimed at ensuring racial harmony was not
in the form of a document to show as proof, but it definitely existed.

"I believe that if we can appreciate and understand it (social contract),
those with vested interest and their narrow agenda, by playing up sensitive
issues, will fail to achieve their aim."

Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said the country's independence was the result of
prevailing racial harmony, with Islam as the official religion and the Malay
rulers having the duty of preserving racial understanding, which was referred to
as the social contract.

"The commitment to establishing an independent nation came from the close
cooperation of the Malay rulers and community and political leaders who received
the people's mandate.

"The different races, on the other hand, must build understanding and
respect each other's rights as part of the social contract," the Perlis Ruler
added before about 500 senior state government officials and heads of
departments and agencies.

However, he lamented that of late, various quarters with vested interest had
given their own interpretation of the social contract from a narrow perspective
to serve their own agenda.

He said their action had caused uneasiness among the public.

"The social contract is explicitly and implicitly interpreted in the Federal
Constitution.

"It does not just contain the supreme law of the country, but the
Constitution also manifests the hopes and aspirations of the people which are
for the nation to fulfil," Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin said.

He also said that "all the races are the masters of this country and they
are free to practise any religion without hurting the other religions"

Former Appeals Court judge Mohd Noor Abdullah gave a closed-door talk at the
seminar, which was organised with the cooperation of the National Civics Bureau.
-- BERNAMA