U-turn on Rome Statute due to coup fears, says Saifuddin

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 7 Apr 2019 9:32AM · 2 Comments

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah says the decision to withdraw from ratifying the Rome Statute was reached after long discussions at last Friday's cabinet meeting. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, April 7, 2019.

THE cabinet’s U-turn on the Rome Statute was due to fears of a coup triggered by behind-the-scenes players, revealed Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah.

Malay Mail reported him as saying public uprisings are common following a change of power in elections, and that they are usually instigated by the “deep state”, or a network that operates independently of a nation’s political leadership to further its own agenda.

“(There was a) possibility of the issue being manipulated, to the extent that people go to the streets, moved by the ‘deep state’ and certain apparatus.”

On what he meant exactly, he said: “I would keep it that way, let the people decide. I use the term ‘apparatus’... that are not democratically elected.”

He echoed what PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said yesterday, that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was referring to a certain royal personality when he announced that Malaysia was compelled to withdraw from ratifying the Rome Statute because “a particular person wants to be free to beat up people”.

“This seems to involve the royals,” Saifuddin was quoted as saying.

He said the decision to withdraw from ratifying the treaty was reached after long discussions at last Friday’s cabinet meeting, which was held after Dr Mahathir had an audience with Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

The Conference of Rulers held an informal meeting to discuss the Rome Statute on Tuesday, said Malay Mail.

The Malay rulers called in Saifuddin and three others – Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, armed forces chief General Zulkifli Zainal Abidin, and Universiti Teknologi Mara Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Faculty of Law dean Professor Dr Rahmat Mohamad – to explain the matter.

Saifuddin declined to reveal details of the informal meeting.

Though Dr Mahathir did not mention names, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim had termed Putrajaya’s initial move to ratify the Rome Statute as “unconstitutional”.

“The government signed the instrument without getting consent from the Conference of Rulers,” he said in a Facebook post.

It was not the first time Tunku Ismail had criticised the decision to accede to the treaty, which was also slammed by his father, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

The Johor ruler had warned the government that the ratification was in violation of the constitution.– April 7, 2019.

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Comments

  • Blame no one but oneself PH. The opportunity and mandate has been given by rakyat but was not use to the fullest to enforce the rules of law except lots of hype and empty talk. PH is just a paper tiger. The wishy washy attitude and the lack of convictions to follow thru in the reforms and changes resulted in many from the other political divide taking the plunge to rattle or even creating mayhem from the bangsa dan agama retarded rakyats who are hell bent on seeing that it does not perish so that the perpetuation of their sel serving ketuanan will always be in place. The brazen idiotic PH ministers especially those from Bersatu and PKR are also partaking in such move and sabotaging the process of a New Malaysia thru' their stupidity and also their suicidal beliefs in this act garnring support from the Malays. The old man alone cannot do it if his own party members are in collision to his visions and also sadly at fault is due to his very own making devices of flip floping in decisions ( only god knows what is his hidden intentions ) . It becomes a humongus stumbling block to move forward. Looks like another bersih movement is needed to change and rid the country of nuisance and getting the MPs to act wisely. The cabinets needs to be revamped. New dynamic personality has to be in place in institutions that deals and enforce rules of law. No more mere talks as what Mahatir have said. "You break the law we catch you" irrespective of who you are ??? It should start now immediately if there are already plot to have a coup.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Posted 5 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • U turn is made because of the Brainless lazy corrupt Scumbag malayus n others politician from dumshit bn dumshit umno dumshit all the Opposition partys n supporters.

    Posted 5 years ago by Danial Abdullah · Reply