Salleh Abas’ two letters ‘insulting’ King were basis for his sacking: Dr M - NST

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri:

Two letters Tun Salleh Abas wrote to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Iskandar “complaining about noise during some repair work” at the King’s palace near the former Lord President’s house and complaining against the Prime Minister were the basis for his sacking, according to Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his blog today.

“This (the letters) alone can be considered as very improper,” Dr Mahathir wrote in his very popular blog www.chedet.com. “A man as senior as he was could have asked to see the Agong and verbally informed him about the noise. But to compound the act of les majesté he sent copies of his letter to the other rulers. This implied that he did not have faith in the Agong and wanted the other Rulers to apply pressure on him.”

Dr Mahathir cited a second letter that Salleh wrote to the King, who at that time was Sultan Iskandar, the Sultan of Johor, that, among others, stated: “All of us (the judges) are disappointed with the various comments and accusations made by the Prime Minister against the judiciary not only outside but inside Parliament.”

Dr Mahathir quoted Salleh as writing in his letter: “The accusations and comments have brought shame to all of us and left us mentally disturbed to the extent of being unable to discharge our functions orderly and properly.”

Copies of the second letter complaining about the behaviour of the Prime Minister were also sent to the other Rulers. Sultan Iskandar was the yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1984 to 1989. Salleh wrote the letters in 1988.

The two letters from Tun Salleh were regarded by the Agong as being “highly improper and insulting particularly the copies sent to the other Rulers”, Dr Mahathir wrote.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Frontpage/20080606165007/Article/index_html]