Malaysian royal wrangle ended

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - The Malaysian government yesterday declared an end to a month-long constitutional wrangle over its move to curb the powers of the influential sultans and rajas.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Ghafar Baba, said that the nine hereditary rulers had accepted amendments to the constitution lifting their immunity from prosecution under criminal and civil laws. 'We consider the immunity issue resolved as the government has achieved its objective of subjecting the rulers to the law and thus protecting commoners from being oppressed by the rulers.'