IPOH, 5 Feb 2009: All 28 Barisan Nasional (BN) assemblypersons and the three independents in Perak today had an audience with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, to declare their support for the BN.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said they also pledged to support the candidate submitted by the BN for the post of menteri besar.
“Tuanku is expected to decide whether to dissolve the Perak state assembly or to ask (Perak Menteri Besar) Datuk Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to step down as soon as possible,” Najib told a news conference after meeting the sultan twice at Istana Kinta here today.
Najib, who is also the Perak BN chairperson, had the first audience together with Perak BN deputy chairperson Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at 9.49am to seek the sultan’s consent for the BN to take over the state government from Pakatan Rakyat.
This followed the move by four Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons to leave their respective parties and support the BN.
The four are Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)’s Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering), the DAP’s Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang), and Bota assemblyperson Datuk Nasarudin Hashim who rejoined Umno yesterday after defecting to PKR on 25 Jan.
Jamaluddin, Mohd Osman and Hee are now independents.
With the latest developments, the BN now has 28 seats, the same as Pakatan Rakyat, in the 59-seat state assembly.
After the first audience, which lasted 40 minutes, Najib again met the sultan with the 28 BN assemblypersons and three independents for 35 minutes from 11.55am.
Najib told the news conference that he asked the sultan to allow the BN to form a new state government as the BN now had the majority in the state assembly.
“With this, it is up to Tuanku to decide and we will respect whatever decision Tuanku makes because it is Tuanku’s prerogative,” Najib said.
On the candidate for menteri besar, Najib said the BN would follow the process and rules of the Perak state constitution and get the sultan’s consent before making any announcement. — Bernama
