He was responding to a recent parliamentary reply by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said, saying the government had no plans to revisit the constitutional amendment in 1994, removing a requirement for the royal assent.

Anwar said the absence of such a requirement had led to the National Security Council Act being gazetted despite “serious concerns” by the Malay rulers.

“I am appalled by the stand taken by Umno on this issue. It proves that their constant claims that they are protectors of the royal institution and the interests of Malays is nothing but false propaganda to hoodwink the Malays into supporting Umno-BN,” he said in a statement released by PKR today.

Anwar has filed a suit against the government in the Federal Court to strike down Article 66(4) of the Constitution, which enables a bill to automatically become law within 30 days, even without consent from the Agong.

In the past, the Agong had the power to return a bill to Parliament for reconsideration and to state his objections.

But the the Federal Constitution was amended in 1994 under the administration of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, with Anwar as the deputy prime minister, allowing any bill approved by Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara to automatically be gazetted after 30 days, even without the royal assent.

Anwar’s suit to have the amendment declared null and void followed his legal challenge of the NSA Act, which was passed in Parliament in December 2015.

It was gazetted in June 2016 despite protests from the opposition who said the Act allows the prime minister to supersede the powers of the Agong to declare a state of emergency.

Anwar said today the royal assent was important to maintain the balance between the executive, legislature and the rulers.

“I reiterate here Pakatan Harapan’s position and commitment to protect the integrity of the Constitution and the preservation of the crucial role of the Royal institution in our constitutional framework,” he said.