Article

“President” means the Menteri Besar who is of the Malay race, professing the religion of Islam and a subject of

His Royal Highness and if he is disqualified to be the

President, or in the event of his absence from the State or illness, includes the President of the Council of the

Royal Court, or if at any meeting the Menteri Besar and the President of the Council of the Royal Court are absent from the State or are ill then the Members present shall elect a Member to be President for that meeting;

“Secretary” means the State Secretary, and in his absence from the State or illness, includes a Supporter of the

Country to be appointed in that behalf by the President;

and

“Member” means a member of the Supporters of the

Country.

Summoning of Supporters of the Country to confirm a

Sovereign 278.

On the death or abdication of the Sovereign or after the decision to appoint a Successor in the circumstances referred to in Article 12 of this Part, the Secretary shall on the instruction of the President convene, by notice in writing or otherwise to

The Law of the Constitution of 1895 31

each Supporter of the Country to be delivered at his address in the State, a meeting of the Supporters of the Country for the purpose of confirming the Heir Apparent as Sovereign.

It shall be the duty of each Member to attend at the time and place stated in the said notice unless his absence has been excused by the President for such reason as the President shall deem to be reasonable and sufficient.

Voting and decisions 27c.

The Supporters of the Country shall, if not unanimous, make its decision by a simple majority of members present and voting; and the President shall cast his vote whenever necessary to avoid an equality of votes, but he shall not vote in any other case.

Any decision of the Supporters of the Country shall not be void by reason only of the absence of any Member whether such absence has been excused by the President or not.

Meetings 27p.

No person other than Members shall be present at any meeting of the Supporters of the Country.

Except for the State Secretary any Member who is in the

Public Service of the State, the Federation or other States in the

Federation at a time when the Supporters of the Country are exercising the powers conferred upon them by Articles 3 and 5 of this Part, shall not take any part in the exercise of such powers.

The President may adjourn any meeting of the Supporters of the Country from time to time but a meeting once begun shall continue until a decision of the Supporters of the Country has been made.

Minutes and record 27g. (1) Minutes of the proceedings at each meeting of the Supporters of the Country shall be kept in writing by the Secretary.

32

Laws of the State of Johore

A record of every decision of the Supporters of the

Country shall be made in writing by the Secretary and it shall be signed by the President whose signature shall be witnessed by the Secretary.

Every decision of the Supporters of the Country shall be notified in the Gazette.

JUMAAH MAJLIS DIRAJA

(COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL COURT)

Council of the Royal Court 28.

The Council of the Royal Court shall consist of not less than seven nor more than twelve persons who shall be appointed to be Counsellors thereof by His Highness.

His Highness shall appoint one of the Counsellors as President and one as Secretary of the Council of the Royal Court.

The State Secretary shall have the right to take part but shall not have any vote in the proceedings of the Council of the

Royal Court:

Provided that before he attends the first meeting of the Council of Royal Court he shall take and subscribe in the presence of the

President of the Council of the Royal Court the following oath of secrecy

—

“WALLAHI WABILLAHI WATALLAHI the State Secretary, do solemnly swear that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person any matter

Which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me in the course of my attending the Council of

Royal Court except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as such officer or as may be specially permitted by the Council of Royal Court.”.

The Law of the Constitution of 1895 33 29.

(Deleted by J.G.N. No. 301/1959).

Race and religion of Counsellors 30.

Every Counsellor must be a Malay, a subject of His Highness and professing the religion of Islam.

Counsellors to take the oath 31.

Every person appointed to be a Counsellor shall take the

Oath prescribed in the Fourth Schedule and the Oath shall be attested by his signature to be written in a book provided for the purpose, in the presence of two witnesses, declaring himself to be truly a Malay, a subject of His Highness and a Muslim and acknowledging his allegiance to the Sovereign and the State.