IPOH, 2 Feb 2009: The Pakatan Rakyat-led Perak government will not dissolve the state legislative assembly to seek a new mandate as it is still stable, said senior state executive councillor Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.
He urged the Election Commission (EC) to call for by-elections in Changkat Jering and Behrang, as both state seats had been declared vacant by state assembly speaker V Sivakumar.
Ngeh, who is Perak DAP chairperson, was commenting on the controversy surrounding Changkat Jering assemblyperson Mohd Osman Jailu and Behrang assemblyperson Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, whose seats had been declared vacant by Sivakumar.
Ngeh said Sivakumar’s decision was final and the EC should discharge its duty as usual although both assemblypersons were contemplating challenging the decision.
“I do not see how both assemblymen could challenge the EC process in holding by-elections in Changkat Jering and Behrang because such objection can only be made before the speaker officially informs the EC that the seats have been vacated,” he said.
Ngeh also confirmed that Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had an audience with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, at Istana Kinta here this morning to inform him on the political development and the issue surrounding the resignations of the duo.
Sivakumar, who said Mohd Osman and Jamaluddin had tendered their resignations through fax yesterday, said he had written to Perak EC director Ahmad Adli Abdullah today, officially informing him that the seats had been vacated.
However, the two Parti Keadilan Rakyat assemblypersons denied that they had resigned and lodged police reports through their representatives at Section 11 police station in Shah Alam, Selangor at 2am today. — Bernama
See also:
Perak PKR reps dispute resignation
EC meeting on status of PKR duo
Hard for duo to contest resignations
