Perak Sultan vs Mentri Besar.

Controversies within the feudal political circle in Malaysia never seem to be ending, occasionally feeding the reading public with scandalous but sensational revelations.

The 2nd March Straits Times reported a "long standing feud" between the Perak Sultan and his Chief Minister Tan Sri Haji Ghazali Jawi which blew up into the open, reaching a "crisis point" and a "final showdown."

Within a week, the Perak Sultan called two press conferences to lash out at his Chief Minister. Calling him by name, the Sultan told the press that Ghazali Jawi was appointed to the post in September 1974 "at my pleasure and on conditional basis."

He accused Ghazali Jawi of doing things as he wished and abusing his powers. Last December, the Sultan said that the MB could do as he liked in his own political sphere but in the administration of the state, he was responsible to the Sultan; in particular, the Sultan alleged that since Ghazali Jawi took over, Perak has been "in the red" with a deficit of $9 million.

Obviously it is more than the Sultan alone who wish to see Ghazali removed. The armed forces in Perak headed by Sany are at loggerheads with the Mentri Besar. Some time in 1976 Sany came out into the open to accuse the Mentri Besar of not doing enough to combat the communist guerillas operating in the State.

Earlier in his defence, Ghazali Jawi said that he was leading the State government on an UMNO mandate. To this, the Sultan said that he was 'indeed surprised." The Sultan further disclosed that he had earlier wanted to remove Ghazali Jawi but was told by the former Prime Minister Razak, to give the Chief Minister "another chance as he had no where to go."

As though to confirm this, Ghazali Jawi told the press on March 6th that he would inform the public the moment he decided to quit. "I will then resign and pack up and return to my Kampung."

Ref: Straits Times 2, 7 March 1977.