Corrected on 3 March 2009 at 4.05pm
IPOH, 3 March 2009: The Perak state assembly which held an “emergency sitting” under a tree about 100m from the Perak Darul Ridzuan building today approved three motions.
The first two motions were to express support for Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as the Menteri Besar and to dissolve the state assembly to enable fresh elections to be held.
(Corrected) The third motion was to affirm the Speaker V Sivakumar’s decision to suspend newly-appointed Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his six state executive councillors (excos) from the state assembly.
The 30-minute session which started at about 10.20am was attended by Speaker V Sivakumar and all the 27 assemblypersons from PAS, DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
The first motion was tabled by Titi Serong assemblyperson Khalil Idham Lim, the second by Teja assemblyperson Chang Lih Kang and the third by Pantai Remis assemblyperson Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham. The assembly adjourned at 10.33am.
The sitting, called by Sivakumar, was held outside after police barred him and the 27 Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblypersons from entering the Perak Darul Ridzuan building, which houses the state assembly.
With the assemblypersons standing under a tree, the emergency session proceeded with the help of assembly secretary Mohd Misbahul Munir Masduki, who was appointed yesterday, and a loudspeaker.
The sitting took place along a lane fenced by a group of PR supporters with more than 200 people in the area.
It was followed by a news conference at the Perak DAP office nearby.
Nizar to seek Sultan’s audience
Mohammad Nizar told the news conference that he would seek an audience with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah, as soon as possible to present the assembly’s decision to dissolve the Perak state assembly.
Dr Zambry, from Umno, and recently-suspended assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri had claimed that the sitting was invalid because it did not have the consent of Sultan Azlan Shah.
Mohammad Nizar said the sitting was valid because the doctrine of necessity allowed them to hold it.
Asked what they would do if Sultan Azlan Shah refused to consent to the dissolution of the state assembly, Mohammad Nizar said that if the assembly was not dissolved, it would only prolong the current constitutional crisis and affect the state’s political, economic and social stability in the state.
“So we are crying from the bottom of the hearts of the Perak people to get Tuanku to listen to their voices and get it dissolved,” he said.
When told of the claim by several Barisan Nasional assemblypersons that they had not received the notice of the sitting from the assembly secretary, Nizar said the Speaker had already informed all the assemblypersons.
Ngeh called on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Zambry to agree to the dissolution of the state assembly because it was the only immediate solution to the current crisis. — Bernama
See also:
Perak crisis deepens
nick chan says
The most disturbing thing is the action of the police in blocking the Dewan. What the police was doing is most disrespectful and unlawful.
Siew Eng says
Let’s all say it in one voice – fresh elections for Perak!
C J Tan says
Let the people of Perak have the final say. A fresh election to be called immediately.