.JPG "Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Salahuddin Ayub speaks to reporters at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur March 25, 2019. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Firdaus Latif")
KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 — Datuk Salahuddin Ayub does not see a conflict between the Federal Constitution and the Johor state constitution in the appointment of the state’s mentri besar (MB).
He said today that the ongoing dispute on the mentri besar’s post can be resolved by adhering to the two laws.
“As a Johorean myself, we have our own constitution and as I know the peace we have today is due to firmly holding onto both the Federal and Johor constitutions,” Salahuddin told reporters at the Dewan Rakyat.
He was commenting on the recent resignation of Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian, which Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad confirmed on Tuesday.
When asked if the power to nominate mentri besar lay with the respective monarch or the winning political party, Salahuddin said parties have the right to propose candidates to the monarch or the state governor.
Salahuddin added he did not see a conflict between the Federal and state constitutions, as both had its role to play on the national and state level.
“I do not know, I have been preoccupied with work at the ministry recently so I have not had the time to consider it beyond hearing whispers here and there,” he said, when asked about what he knew of the situation in Johor.
Rumours of Osman’s resignation began as early as Sunday. He is expected to explain his reasons for resigning to the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar in a royal audience tomorrow.
There has been a tense exchange of words between Dr Mahathir and the Johor royal palace, with the prime minister pointing out that the federal government is entitled to comment on the state’s affairs earlier today.
This follows a sharp rebuke by the sultan to unnamed parties against interfering in Johor’s internal affairs.
