Pakatan Will Not Sue Sultan - Malaysiakini

By Shannon Teoh

IPOH, Feb 9 - Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin will travel the length and breadth of Perak to hold a series of ceramah to convince the people he is still the legitimate menteri besar.

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) alliance has also decided against naming Sultan Azlan Shah in a legal suit it is planning, as it attempts to deflect attacks from Barisan Nasional (BN) over the question of loyalty to the state’s ruler.

The plan was announced before 8,000 Pakatan Rakyat (PR) supporters at the official MB’s residence late Sunday night, where it is making its last stand against BN’s claim to power in the state.

While PR delays what must certainly be the inevitable handover of government to BN, the two coalitions are fighting a larger battle for the hearts and minds of the public.

BN has tried to assert that PR are committing treason by refusing to comply with Sultan Azlan Shah’s wishes.

But with its continued insistence that the mainstream media is under the control of BN, the series of public speeches by Nizar will see PR trying to make added gains in the court of public opinion which already appears to be leaning heavily in its favour.

If the night’s speeches by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, DAP vice president Tan Seng Giaw and Nizar are anything to go by, the roadshow will likely centre around the legitimacy of Nizar’s claim and the assertion that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had robbed the rights of the people by masterminding a “coup d’etat.”

Speaking to the multiracial, but largely Pas-supporting crowd, Nizar said the undemocratic manner in which Najib had forced the overthrow of his administration had turned Malaysia into a laughing stock.

“We will take back the right stolen by Najib Altantuya,” Nizar said of a snap poll which PR is pushing for, referring to Najib’s continued links to the murder of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shariibuu.

Cries of “Allahuakbar” and “Reformasi” went up on numerous occasions as the speakers stood on a balcony with a banner hung below them.

“Daulat Tuanku, Rakyat Pohon Tuanku Bubarkan Dun Perak,” it said, reflecting the wishes of those gathered to have the state assembly dissolved.
Sultan has refused this request by Nizar and instead declared BN the government, sparking a constitutional crisis with many quarters insisting that the choice of government should be returned to the voting public.

But as usual, Anwar stole the show.

This was not, however, due to a typically inspired speech but a statement earlier today by DAP chairman Karpal Singh that Anwar was no longer fit to be opposition leader.

Anwar told reporters, however, that it was not a concern for PR and it in fact, did not discuss the issue at a meeting just prior to the night’s ceramah.

"I spoke to Kit Siang and he assured me it was Karpal’s personal opinion,” he said referring to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang.

Anwar further explained that Karpal’s outburst was due to two points of disagreement, the first being the Bukit Gelugor MP’s wish to take legal action against the Sultan and the other being the morality of defections.

“I did not bribe or threaten people to join us. We do not want to create the impression that we are against the institution of the Sultan,” said Anwar in addressing these two issues.

He played down the differences of opinion within PR and said that despite this, there was good cooperation.

“It is not a problem to meet with Karpal if there is an opportunity,” the de facto PKR leader added.

Earlier, he had sought to banish the perception that the Perak PR government was selling out to the Chinese and not protecting the Malays.

Calling it a ruse by Umno, he said that there was nothing wrong with issuing land titles to poor Chinese.

“But who was given Genting Highlands? Lim Goh Tong. How about Pangkor? When BN gives land to Chinese taukehs it is fine but when we give a bit of land to poor Chinese, they turn it into a racial issue,” he said.

Anwar also assured the crowd that should it win snap polls in Perak, Nizar would definitely be returned as mentri besar. -- The Malaysian Insider