Becoming the state governor will not necessarily provide Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud immunity from prosecution, constitutional expert Abdul Aziz Bari says.

Even as the nine Malay rulers are immune from legal proceedings in the courts, they can still be charged through a special court established under Article 182 of the Federal Constitution, Abdul Aziz ( below ) said.

He said this in response to the protest by Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia's (SAMM) Sarawak wing against Abdul Taib becoming the next governor so that he can avoid answering for past allegations of corruption and misuse of power.

Abdul Taib, who has been Sarawak's chief minister for 33 years, has been facing a litany of allegations of corruption and abuse of power and is being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC).

He even defiantly declared that he would not cooperate with MACC.

It is not right, Abdul Aziz told Malaysiakini yesterday, for SAMM to suggest that the move to governorship could offer Taib some protection from the law.

However, he agreed with SAMM that should Abdul Taib become the new Yang di-Pertua Negeri or head of state, the image of Sarawak would suffer.

Bringing Sarawak into disrepute

It is not advisable, Abdul Aziz said, to have a leader who has been alleged to have been involved in so many cases of corruption and abuse of power to take up such a post.

“Having Abdul Taib as governor will bring Sarawak to disrepute,” he said.

Without naming a successor, Abdul Taib disclosed to his BN colleagues that he would step down as CM at the end of February, and will seek appointment as state governor.

Abdul Aziz, a former law lecturer at the International Islamic University, also said PAS Youth was making a sensible move to approach the Agong to block Abdul Taib’s ascension to Sarawak governorship.

Citing Section 19A of the Eighth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Abdul Aziz said the Agong has discretion to appoint the four governors of Sabah, Sarawak, Malacca and Penang.