KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan Regent Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra has filed an originating summons in the High Court (Appellate and Special Powers Division) here for a declaration that the appointment of Kelantan Royal Succession Council (KRSC) chairman Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Mohd Hamzah as the Regent of the state on March 25, is not valid.In the summons, filed by his lawyer Zainur Zakaria at 11am Tuesday, Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra had named himself as the first plaintiff, the Government of Kelantan and the State Secretary the second and third plaintiffs while his younger brother Tengku Muhammad Fakhry, Datuk Wan Hashim Wan Daud, who allegedly claimed to be the Sultan of Kelantan’s private secretary, and Tengku Abdul Aziz as the defendants.
An affidavit-in-support sworn by Tengku Muhammad Faris on March 27 and a letter of urgency from Zainur to have the hearing expedited were also submitted to the court.
Zainur asked the court the hear the case speedily as disputes happening in the Kelantan palace had caused confusion and uncertainty in the state, and if not addressed quickly, could cause the situation to worsen.
The court set April 5 for mention which will be heard Judge Datuk Aziah Ali.
Details of the case were obtained through a file search yesterday.
Tengku Muhammad Faris among others wants the appointment of Tengku Abdul Aziz as the Regent, as was announced by Wan Hashim on March 25, to be declared null and void.
He also wants the court to declare that Wan Hashim has no authority whatsoever to act on behalf of the Sultan in regard to affairs of the palace and state.
He is also seeking an injunction to restrain Tengku Abdul Aziz from representing or claiming himself to be the Regent or interfering in his (Tengku Muhammad Faris’) duties or attempting to usurp his powers. He further wants an injunction to restrain all three defendants whether by themselves or their agents from acting on behalf of the Sultan or interfere in the Kelantan government’s administration of the state.
He is also seeking costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
In his affidavit, Tengku Muhammad Faris had also said that he was appointed as the rightful Regent by the KRSC on May 24 2009 because the Sultan of Kelantan was ill and could not discharge his duties as head of state.
He added that the Sultan had not recovered and that the KRSC had not made a declaration that the Sultan was able to return to the throne, and as such, no other parties had the right to make announcements on succession or usurp his (Tengku Muhammad Faris’) powers as the Regent. — Bernama