'I am a democrat, not Umno loyalist or royalist' says Shahrir Samad
SHAH ALAM - Umno veteran Tan Sri Shahrir Samad stood by his principles as a democrat after people criticised him over the “embarrassment” he felt to attend Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi’s appointment as the Johor Menteri Besar.
In a Facebook posting, he said he was asked if he was questioning the power of the Sultan in matters of the state.
“I am not a royalist nor a hardcore Umno supporter. As a democrat, I have my own principles,” he said .
To him, power must be based on wisdom.
“I don’t always side with the party, nor do I always side with the royals,” the former domestic, trade and consumer affairs minister said.
This comes after Onn Hafiz was appointed to the top seat yesterday instead of Umno’s menteri besar nominee Hasni Mohammad, the party's poster boy.
Citing examples, he said when the country was facing a constitutional crisis following Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s disapproval of a bill in Parliament, he said he “sided " the party”.
When the party made a decision to do away with the Royal Johor Military Force (JMF), he had proposed to the then Johor MB Datuk Ghani Othman for the bill to be withdrawn, the move saved the state's heritage, he said.
