By TK Chua

I am glad that Nawawi Ahmad, the MP for Langkawi, has finally apologised over his remarks regarding “Malaysian Official Number 1” (MO1).

It is common sense that apologies extended must always go with sincerity and genuine remorse. Otherwise, it will be meaningless. By inference, no apology is needed when no wrong has been committed.

Hence, two elements must be present in any apology. First, there is an acknowledgement that a wrong has been committed. Second, the wrongdoer must feel remorseful and want to make good the wrong committed.

Malaysia has achieved independence for a long time. Our system of parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy is taught in schools. I believe most of us, what more a Member of Parliament, knows the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, as stated in the Federal Constitution.

Government functions and authorities are carried out in his name, but we know too there is an elected government calling the real shots in this country.

With power comes responsibility and accountability. That is why we get to elect and criticise the government of the day but never the monarch.

Lately, MO1 has attracted a lot attention and controversy. As far as I know, there is only one reference on MO1 that we are aware of – those documents filed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). There is no mention of MO1 in any other context.

There is no controversy over the position of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, be it in the Constitution or over his role as the ruler.

Why then was there a sudden need to explain the position of the Agong — as done by the MP concerned? Everyone knows his constitutional role as the supreme ruler of the federation.

Hence, what precisely was MP Nawawi trying to explain and to whom was he trying to explain it to?

But as I said at the beginning, MP Nawawi has apologised. I think that is sufficient.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.

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