Its secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng, said the party adhered to principles under the Federal Constitution.

“We give our full support to the PM in handling this issue,” he said after officiating the DAP national conference here today.

Lim was asked by reporters to comment on the spat between the government and Johor royal family in recent months.

Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar said in March the government would violate the Federal Constitution by signing the Rome Statute, as the treaty would affect the monarch, Malay rights and the sanctity of Islam in the country.

The government later withdrew from ratifying the Rome Statute in April.

The Johor palace was also dragged into the appointment of the state menteri besar after former menteri besar Osman Sapian resigned.

Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said that the palace has absolute discretion in picking its menteri besar but Mahathir said the prerogative to appoint the menteri besar remained with the government.

The vocal prince also said in a recent video that it was “better to change the prime minister” after attending a football match at Larkin, Johor.

In response, Mahathir said that Tunku Ismail’s post was also not permanent, recalling how previously, a younger brother was appointed crown prince.

Mahathir added that only the rakyat can change the prime minister.

It was also reported that a 4.5ha piece of land in Bukit Chagar, Johor, was transferred to Sultan Ibrahim during Barisan Nasional’s administration.

The land was supposed to be a part of the planned Rapid Transit System (RTS), which will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore, a project aimed at easing congestion at the Causeway.

Sultan Ibrahim said he had never been informed of any change of title for the 4.5ha land, but he was willing to give back the land at no cost if the RTS project resumed immediately.