KUALA LUMPUR — Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said in a tweet on Tuesday (April 9) evening that he is prepared to face criminal action if he makes seditious remarks.

The crown prince wrote: “Go ahead. If i have to go down for upholding the constitution, the Malay rulers and Islam, by all means. You know where to find me."

In what appears to be a response to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s earlier comments that the Crown Prince was not above the law if caught breaking it, he added: “Like any citizen, I have the right to ask questions and air my opinions.” 

“I’m all yours. Finish what you start.”

Speaking to Malaysian media earlier on Tuesday, Dr Mahathir said Tungku Ismail can speak freely and criticise the government “as long as he doesn’t break the law”.

“If he makes statements which can be considered seditious, we will take action against him,” Dr Mahathir said. “He is not above the law. In fact, nobody in Malaysia is above the law.”

When asked if Tunku Ismail should join politics, Dr Mahathir said the crown prince could make the choice for himself.

“He can make that choice himself. (If) he wants to be political, he can be.

“There is nothing to prevent any citizen from expressing their opinion and he is a citizen of Malaysia. Nothing more than that,” he said.

Tunku Ismail has been a vocal critic of the government. In another recent Twitter post, he said he had hoped the new Johor chief minister would not be a “yes man” of Putrajaya.

“The welfare of the people and well-being of the state must always be a priority,” said the crown prince, who added that the Sultan of Johor had already ordered a change of chief minister “months ago” and is the “Sultan’s right” to choose chief minister.

“The order to change the Menteri Besar has been said before. But someone else wants to take the credit and mileage, as if he ordered it.”

Johor’s chief minister Osman Sapian resigned on Monday. AGENCIES