He said the royal institution must be upheld and maintained as one of the last checks and balances for the people and the country.
He added that the ruling monarch had been given the responsibility, as defined under the Constitution, to protect every citizen regardless of race, religion and political affiliation.
“The royal institution is above politics, acting in an impartial or non-partisan manner and can also act as an arbitrator in the event of political disputes that could threaten the stability of the country.
“In other words, politicians also cannot hide behind or use the royal institution for the political interests of any party,” he said when officiating the Conference of Speakers of the Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies 2021 at Wisma Sri Pahang here today.
The online conference was also attended by Pahang menteri besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and Dewan Rakyat speaker Azhar Azizan Harun.
Tengku Hassanal also said the consent of the ruling monarch should be respected as stipulated in the Constitution and should not be considered only “ceremonial” or a formality.
“The royal institution in Malaysia must be respected by all parties. The power of the King as provided in the law should not be disputed,” said Tengku Hassanal.
He also advised Parliament and state assembly speakers to carry out their duties entrusted to them based on integrity to ensure the legislative proceedings run transparently, fairly and equitably.
“The speaker has an important role to play in ensuring that the legislative debates run in a polite and orderly manner,” said the regent.
In another development, Tengku Hassanal said Parliament and the state assemblies, as the legislative arm of government, should strive to provide views and serve as a reference for the younger generation in preparation for them to shoulder responsibility in the future.
He said that although there were youth conferences at the parliament and state levels, efforts or engagement must be continued so that the concept of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy is understood and appreciated by the younger generation.