Educating Raja Bahrin: the day Mahathir stole Putrajaya
When Mahathir annexed Putrajaya in 2001, there was no negotiation and no agreed sales price. Mahathir just annexed Putrajaya by force, as he did Labuan before that. Mahathir merely ‘informed’ His Majesty the Agong, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, that the Federal Government was annexing Putrajaya and that will be no discussion on the matter.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
I was appalled and dismayed when the Kuala Terengganu Member of Parliament, Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah Raja Ahmad, stood in the lobby of Parliament House and praised Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for developing Putrajaya. These Pakatan Harapan people will do anything just to win votes. And, considering that Raja Bahrin is from an Islamic party, one would imagine he would be more Islamic and less fasiq and munafiq.
First of all, as a member of the Terengganu royal family, Raja Bahrin should be upset with Mahathir for stealing billions of Terengganu’s money when in 2000 Terengganu’s 5% oil royalty payments were terminated. Terengganu and Petronas had signed an agreement in 1974 plus the PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT ACT 1974 legally entitles Terengganu to this 5% oil royalty.
Mahathir stole Terengganu’s money to build Putrajaya
Hence Mahathir broke the law by firstly violating a legal agreement and secondly by violating an Act of Parliament. And in the process Terengganu was denied billions of what they were entitled to while what belongs to Terengganu was used to build Putrajaya. And this is the ‘great man’ that Raja Bahrin is praising sky high? Is it just Raja Bahrin or are the entire Pakatan Harapan people otak lembu?
But that is Terengganu’s problem and the Terengganu voters will have to decide whether they still want Mahathir as the Prime Minister this upcoming GE14. As a member of the Selangor royal family, however, my concern is Selangor and I want to educate Raja Bahrin on the history of Putrajaya.
In 1918, the British awarded land to soldiers from Malaya who had fought for the British during World War 1. Hence, since World War 1 was called ‘The Great War’, this new settlement was named Perang Besar or Big War.
Mahathir then stole Putrajaya from Selangor
In October 1995, Mahathir kicked the landowners out and took over Perang Besar for development (using the oil money from Terengganu, may I add), which was then renamed Putrajaya. On 1st February 2001, which is Federal Territory Day, Mahathir annexed Putrajaya and turned it into Federal Territory.
And this is where my story really begins.
On 1st February 1974, the Federal Government under Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, ‘bought’ Kuala Lumpur from Selangor to turn it into Malaysia’s Federal Capital. So, if Mahathir now annexes Putrajaya, then the Federal Government has to return Kuala Lumpur to Selangor. You cannot have two Federal Capitals and if Putrajaya is the new Federal Capital then Kuala Lumpur goes back to Selangor.
Tun Razak bought Kuala Lumpur from Selangor
And that is why while Kuala Lumpur is called the Federal Capital, Putrajaya is called the Administrative Capital and not the Federal Capital. Once Putrajaya becomes the new Federal Capital then Selangor can take back Kuala Lumpur.
Mahathir, however, did not want that. This is not just about money but if Kuala Lumpur goes back to Selangor then, first of all, DAP and not Barisan Nasional will ‘own’ Kuala Lumpur, and, secondly, with Kuala Lumpur as part of Selangor, the Chinese will outnumber the Malays in the state. So, it is best to leave the DAP and Chinese dominated Kuala Lumpur separate from Selangor and call Putrajaya the Administrative Capital and not the Federal Capital.
But that is still not my story yet. My story is as follows.
When Tun Razak took over Kuala Lumpur as Federal Territory in 1974, the Federal Government negotiated the takeover with the Selangor Government and a sales price was agreed upon. And that was the money used to develop Shah Alam and much more.
When Mahathir annexed Putrajaya in 2001, there was no negotiation and no agreed sales price. Mahathir just annexed Putrajaya by force, as he did Labuan before that. Mahathir merely ‘informed’ His Majesty the Agong, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj, that the Federal Government was annexing Putrajaya and that will be no discussion on the matter.
Mahathir refused to meet HRH the Sultan to discuss the annex of Putrajaya
The Sultan of Selangor, HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, plus the Selangor Royal Council, were totally by-passed and ignored and were told they are not to protest or even comment on the annex of Putrajaya.
The Sultan then requested a meeting with Mahathir but Mahathir told HRH there is nothing to discuss. The Agong had already agreed to the Federal Government annexing Putrajaya (even though the Agong had no power and authority to decide what happens in Selangor’s territory). Mahathir had the gall to refuse to meet the Sultan. By right Mahathir should have requested an audience with the Sultan to discuss this matter and not the other way around.
Mahathir had durhaka or committed treason. In another era Mahathir would have been banished if not sentenced to death. And Raja Bahrin is the only cousin of a Sultan who sings Mahathir’s praises for screwing both Terengganu and Selangor.
