KUALA LUMPUR: Federal laws remain the highest legislation in the country and will override state laws, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said.
This was already embedded in the constitutional monarchy democratic system practised in Malaysia and the Federal Government would not compromise on this.
"This country practises the constitutional monarchy, not absolute monarchy," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.
Shahidan was asked to comment on the Johor government's move to table a bill to set up the Johor Housing and Real Property (LPHJ) Bill 2014 at the Johor State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
The Johor state government had been heavily criticised on the move before its Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin yesterday announced that there would be amendments to the bill, specifically on the role of the ruler.
The amendments were made after the state authorities took into consideration the criticisms and reactions of various parties as well as preserving the system of constitutional monarchy.
Shahidan said if the state government wanted to introduce a new law, it should not override the federal law.
On the construction of housing for the public which was one of the objectives of the LPHJ, the Arau Member of Parliament said the federal government had already done this through the 1Malaysia People's Housing Scheme Programme (PR1MA).
"The Johor state government may have its own reasons for the law, but I have not studied the contents of the bill," he said.
In a separate press conference, Shahidan said the Attorney-General's office would determine if the bill to be tabled by the Johor government contravened the federal constitution.
-- BERNAMA
