2 The Constitutional Crisis of 1983

This chapter examines the constitutional crisis of 1983, which focused on the King’s power to assent to legislation in relation to federal legislation and on the State Rulers’ equivalent power in relation to State legislation. The crisis should be viewed while considering that amendments to the Federal Constitution are common in Malaysia. However, intense national interest was generated by the refusal of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ahmad Shah, to assent to the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 1983. What was the significance of the 1983 Amendment Bill? What were the motives of the government in mooting the amendments? The chapter reviews the chain of events and clarifies many of the constitutional issues that were clouded by the confrontation between the dissenting parties.