06 February 2009

Nizar reports for work as MB as Perak crisis continues

Pakatan Rakyat supporters outside Nizar’s residence stepping on a poster of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in protest last night. — Picture by Choo Choy May

By Adib Zalkapli and Lee Wei Lian


IPOH, Feb 6 — Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin and his state executive councillors are reporting for work at the state secretariat this morning in what is turning into a major constitutional crisis in the state.

Nizar and his men expect to be stopped from entering the building which is being guarded by hundreds of policemen, while awaiting the swearing-in of the new Barisan Nasional menteri besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir.

It is understood the Pakatan Rakyat government plans to file a legal suit to challenge the legitimacy of a BN government, which they said is a result of a coup orchestrated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The PR menteri besar will also be boycotting the official swearing-in ceremony at the palace in Kuala Kangsar.

Instead, he will be attending special prayers at the Ubudiah mosque, next to the palace. The public has also been invited to attend the prayers.

Nizar refused to resign yesterday when asked to do so by the Sultan, sparking the state's biggest ever political crisis.

But the BN takeover of the state is already a fait accompli, as Zambry is set to be sworn in today as the new MB.

Yesterday, Sultan Azlan Shah announced his refusal to give his consent for the dissolution of the Perak state assembly, and asked Nizar to resign.

As Nizar refused to resign, the post was declared vacant, although some constitutional experts say the proper and legal way for Nizar to be removed would have been through a vote of no confidence in the state assembly.

There are also conflicting views as to whether a Sultan, by convention, has any right to dismiss an MB, or the Yang di-Pertuan Agong a prime minister.

Nonetheless yesterday's decision has paved the way for BN to form the next state government.
The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement, said that after meeting all the 28 BN assemblymen and the three independents, the Sultan was convinced that Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members.

"If YAB Datuk Seri Ir Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin 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," the statement said.

Before thousands of supporters last night, Nizar pledged "to fight to his last drop of blood" to defend the legitimacy of his government.

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