PKR youth has come under fire, including from some in the party leadership, for lodging a police report against a constitutional expert over his views on the king’s meeting with Anwar Ibrahim.

Party leaders said PKR youth vice-chief S. Thiban’s action was unnecessary and that he should have respected Prof Shamrahayu Ab Aziz’s views instead of taking offence and lodging a report.

Thiban yesterday lodged a report against the academic after the latter said, constitutionally, only the prime minister, and not the PKR president, can seek an audience with Agong.

Shamrahayu’s remarks came as Anwar claimed to have majority support in Dewan Rakyat to form a new government.

The Port Dickson MP had also said he will reveal his numbers and those who back him after having an audience with the Agong, who is presently warded at the National Heart Institute.

PKR senator Yusmadi Yusoff said the party must respect the difference of opinion expressed by others, more so from an academic in this case.

“I disagree with this action (by Thiban).

“Let the people be the judge of such statements,” he said on his social media posting.

Thiban was quoted as saying that he had lodged the report against Shamrahayu for allegedly undermining Agong’s role.

“I find that his remarks that on the prime minister can meet the king clearly undermines and challenges ruler’s role, especially when the palace had earlier agreed to grant Anwar an audience (which was postponed following the king’s admission at IJN),” he had been reported as saying in Malaysiakini.

Political analyst Lim Hong Siang, meanwhile, said PKR youth should have just issued a statement to rebut Shamrahayu’s remarks if it had found his statement offensive.

“If his remarks were silly, you could have just rebutted it. Being stupid is not against the law,” he said.

“Why do you want the police to be involved in this? The PKR youth wing has been disappointing,” he said.

Lawyer Lim Wei Jiet agreed that lodging a police report over it was unnecessary.

“There may be many who are disappointed with Shamrahayu’s views but we must protect the right to say things as well as academic freedom,” he said.

“I suggest for the police report to be withdrawn,” he added.

Another PKR youth vice-chief, Syed Badli Shah Syed Osman, told The Malaysian Insight that the party had given its blessings to Thiban to lodge the report.

Syed Badli, however, said he was not involved as it was a move initiated by Thiban.

“The party leadership agreed (with this report) and we have no objections,” he said.

PKR leaders have rallied behind Anwar following his claims on Wednesday of having the majority support in Dewan Rakyat.

Yesterday, party information chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said any attempt to block Anwar from having an audience with the Agong was undemocratic.

He added that such an attempt would go against the wishes of the Agong.

Istana Negara had originally granted Anwar an audience on September 22 but the meeting was postponed as Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had fallen ill and was being treated at IJN.

The palace yesterday was reported as saying that the king will not be seeing anyone for the next week. – September 26, 2020.