PETALING JAYA: Defending the support that he claimed the prime minister still enjoyed from Pahang and Perak royalty, Umno supreme council member Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said that just because the Johor Crown Prince had insulted Najib Razak, it did not mean that other royal houses shared his sentiments.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Tajuddin, who is deputy minister of agriculture and agro-based industry, said it was wrong to make assumptions that Najib was being criticised by all royal houses in the country.

“Just because one crown prince (criticised the PM), doesn’t mean that all royalty are unhappy with Najib.

“Never mind that he (Tunku Ismail) is the future sultan of Johor, he is also an individual who spoke his mind,” Tajuddin said in reaction to the scathing remarks Tunku Ismail left on his Facebook page after the PM’s decision last Friday to stay away from the Nothing2Hide dialogue upon learning that former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in the audience.

Speaking up for the PM, Tajuddin said other members of royalty were firmly behind Najib when he told the news portal, “I am sure the Pahang royalty is strongly behind Najib whereas the Perak royalty is impressed with Najib.”

Tajuddin was likely referring to a statement the Sultan of Pahang made when he endorsed the PM’s leadership in April, praising Najib for being a hardworking leader that he was proud of. The Sultan also cautioned others from “callously” criticising the PM over issues they were uncertain of themselves.