King to be appointed honorary police chief

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King to be appointed honorary police chief

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21, 2024: The proposed Police (Amendment) Bill 2024 is set to see the 17^th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) become honorary police chief.

The Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) will soon debate the bill and then MPs are likely to endorse the bill.

No News Is Bad News reproduces below a Bloomberg report on the bill rep[osted by Free Malaysia Today:

King set to become honorary police chief

Bloomberg

-21 Mar 2024, 03:19 PM

Dewan Rakyat is to debate giving Sultan Ibrahim the title as part of the Police (Amendment) Bill 2024. 

On Tuesday, Sultan Ibrahim said he would begin his ‘real way of ruling’ once his reign reaches the two-month mark. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The government is poised to make Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim the “honorary” head of the police force, a new position that may see him expanding his powers.

The home ministry is seeking Parliament’s approval to create the role of “honorary commissioner-in-chief of police” that the king will assume, among a slew of other proposed changes in the Police (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Lawmakers are set to debate and vote on the bill before the current Parliament session ends on March 27.

The move is another sign of the growing influence of the monarchy. While mostly ceremonial, the Rulers have become increasingly important in determining who holds power, with the past three prime ministers lasting less than two years on the job on average.

Sultan Ibrahim took the throne in late January under a unique constitutional monarchy where nine state royals take turns to serve five-year terms.

Ahead of his ascension, he shared his plans to push for a revival of a high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, clamp down on corruption and serve as a check and balance on the government, signalling a divergence from his predecessors, who largely stayed out of politics and the media.

On Tuesday, he said he would begin his “real way of ruling” once his reign reaches the two-month mark.

“I am not a statue to be worshipped or to be used as an ornament in ceremonies, nor am I forced to follow everything ministers say or want,” he said in a Facebook post.

Last month, Sultan Ibrahim warned against threatening political stability under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, asking those seeking to “play politics” to wait until the next general election, which is not due until 2028.