The Johor Crown Prince (Tunku Mahkota Johor or TMJ) says he respects the right of a Dr Xavier Jayakumar to speak up about the Pulau Kukup issue as a minister but blasted bloggger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin for being “more vocal” on this issue and a “coward” for allegedly hiding being cybertroopers.
“I respect Dr Xavier as a Minister but I would suggest that in the future, perhaps he could work closely with the state,” he said on his Twitter account late Sunday night (Dec 9).
He also said that the act of reprimanding does not have any ill intentions, adding that respect towards one another (still) existed.
“The government has to work together for the country. A minister has the right to voice his opinion,” he said.
Dr Xavier, the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister, had said on Sunday (Dec 9) that the Cabinet wanted Pulau Kukup to remain as a national park.
He said the move to change the island’s status to Sultanate land might affect Malaysia’s reputation internationally in preserving biodiversity.
Tunku Ismail then reprimanded Dr Xavier on Sunday, saying that “outsiders should not meddle on matters related to Johor”.
On Monday morning (Dec 10), Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad rebutted the Johor Crown Prince by pointing out that the federal government is not an “outsider”.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/10/johor-crown-prince-tones-down-reprimand-on-xavier-attacks-kadir-jasin-instead/