Malaysia probes opposition leader for royal insult as tensions flare ahead of August 12 state polls

The probe follows police reports against Kedah state’s head of government, who is accused of committing an offence by allegedly insulting the Sultan of Selangor

State polls on August 12 are seen as the first real popularity test for PM Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government, particularly among the majority Malays

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Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur is located in Selangor, the country’s wealthiest and most industrialised state that has since 2008 been governed by the multiracial coalition co-founded by current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 7:47pm, 13 Jul 2023

Malaysia on Thursday launched an investigation into a controversial leader of an opposition-held state for allegedly insulting one of the country’s nine sultans, ahead of a clutch of state polls scheduled for mid-August.

The investigation follows police reports lodged against Kedah’s chief minister, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who is accused of committing an offence under the broad ambit of race, religion and royalty – or 3R – by allegedly insulting the sultan of Selangor when questioning the appointment of his state’s chief minister, Amiruddin Shari.

Selangor, Malaysia’s wealthiest and most industrialised state, has since 2008 been governed by the multiracial coalition co-founded by current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Shari is from Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

“We will take seven days to wrap up the investigation as we have a task force for such offences,” inspector-general of police Razarudin Husain was quoted as saying by local news portal FreeMalaysiaToday.

Sanusi, a senior leader with the Islamist party PAS, had allegedly made a comparison between the rulers of Selangor and his home state of Kedah at a recent public rally, saying that the sultan of Kedah would not have appointed Amiruddin.

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