Perak Sultan rejects Pakatan's call for dissoultion of state assembly, all eyes now on Nizar's next move
Khamis, 5 Februari 2009 • Kategori: Berita Semasa, Berita Utama, English News, Mahkamah, Nasional, Parlimen, Politik
The Pakatan, which is confident of securing two-thirds majority in the state assembly, maintains its view that the best solution is for fresh and fair polls
The shaky and dubious line-up offered by the BN does not represent the racial mix of the state. There is only one non-Malay assemblyman in the entire 28-member BN team …
Adds latest <>Sultan's decision <>comments from Nizar<>comments from Najib<>Umno stalwart Tengku Razaleigh on what should guide Rulers in times of crises
By Wong Choon Mei
The Perak Ruler, Sultan Azlan Shah, has rejected the advice of Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to dissolve the state assembly and has asked him to step down to make way for a new state government.
"If Mohammad Nizar does not resign his post as Perak Menteri Besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of Menteri Besar and state executive councillors are considered vacant," Bernama reported on its website.
The decision by Sultan Azlan is not totally unexpected. The BN-controlled media has been predicting the fall of the Pakatan government for weeks.
Pakatan leaders too have been sombre in private, given the far-reaching arm of the Umno-Barisan Nasional's influence.
Nevertheless, it will still spark tsunami-scale reverberations across the nation, and further erode public confidence in the country's institutions.
Distrust and disgust, both nationally and internationally, will also increase with the latest disillusionment
It now remains to be seen how the Pakatan will react. Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim is due to hold a press conference this afternoon.
According to the Malaysian Insider, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has also been summoned to meet the Ruler at 6 pm.
Deputy Premier Najib Abdul Razak had earlier held a half-hour discussion with the Ruler to inform him that the Barisan Nasional had enough support to form a new state government, while Nizar had yesterday urged His Majesty to dissolve the state assembly.
If the Sultan had agreed to Nizar's recommendation, it would allow the Pakatan Rakyat to call a snap election, enabling Perakians to choose for themselves their own leaders, rather than have a shaky line-up assembled through defections forced upon them by Najib.
It is already spelt out in the Constitution …
Like hundreds of other civil society experts, Umno stalwart and Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh had said it behoved the Ruler to uphold the Constitution, especially in times of crises.
The Constitution was the source of guidance for action. It spelt out a formal process for the formation of a government and the Ruler is sworn to uphold and protect this process, he added.
"The Constitution and the role of the Ruler in such crises must be respected because defections are not a basis for the formation of a government. Elections are," the Kelantan-based prince said.
"The Menteri Besar has sought the Ruler's consent for the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly. The decision now rests with the Ruler."
Will not resign, views of non-Malays must be sought
Nizar, who is by law still the Menteri Besar, had yesterday rejected Najib's call to resign.
The Pakatan leader counter-claims the resignations of three controversial assemblymen - Behrang's Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, Changkat Jering's Mohd Osman Jailu and DAP's Hee Yit Foong - are valid and their seats vacant.
By-elections should rightfully have been called, but the Election Commission refused to polling dates, enabling the three assemblymen to effectively cross over to Najib's BN.
All three have since declared that they have become Independents, and will side with Najib to form a new state government.
Given the latest edict from the Sultan, it is unsure what action the Pakatan and Nizar will take. Legal experts had said the Constitution empowers the Ruler to appoint, but not to sack.
The well-respected Nizar had insisted it was business as usual until the status of the resignations of the trio were decided by the courts, or the state assembly reconvened - which could take place at the furthest six months from now.
Said KeADILan information chief Tian Chua: "We need to look at all aspects and be sure the rights of all Perak people are protected.
"The BN claims it has 31 seats, we say they have only 28. Worse still, only two of their representatives are non-Malays, while Perak has very large Chinese and Indian communities .
"We need to be sure they are all protected and that they are agreeable to such a BN government."
Legal battle begins
Meanwhile, Speaker of the Perak assembly V Sivakumar has filed an application with the Ipoh High Court, seeking to declare as vacant the Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang seats.
He is also asking the court to declare as valid the resignations letters of the three assemblymen.
If successful, it would create a 28 to 28-seat tie in the state assembly, forcing state-wide snap polls and frustrating the bid by the BN to form a new state government.
Said Pakatan leader Ngeh Koo Ham: "We are filing a suit in the Ipoh High Court to declare the three elected representatives have resigned. There is no majority, and so it would be appropriate for the Sultan to consent to the dissolution of the assembly."
source from Suara Keadilan Online.--
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