Perak Crisis... Again?

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Yesterday, 7 May 2009 was the Perak State Assembly opening ceremony. Malaysians know well about the constitutional crisis in the state. And now, the crisis somehow has stirred a huge uproar into the assembly.

The opening ceremony that should be started with royal address by Perak Regent, Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah at 10am had to wait until 3.15pm to do so. Not only that, the sitting also saw 3 one hour breaks, abusive exchanges, flared tempers, much pushing and shoving between opposing lawmakers, and former speaker V. Sivakumar being removed from the assembly by policemen.

Almost 60 Pakatan supporters were arrested throughout the day, including several DAP leaders and a blogger.


CHRONOLOGY

1. Right after BN and Pakatan Assemblymen enter the Assembly, a shouting match ensued when Sivakumar ordered Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, his six exco members and the three independents friendly to BN to leave the sitting.
2. Sivakumar refused to begin proceedings unless the group of 10 obeyed his directive and ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove them. The sergeant-at-arms, however, refused to heed his instruction.
3. Zambry tried to move a motion to sack Sivakumar twice but was rejected by the latter on both occasions despite support from all BN and independent assemblymen.
4. The menteri besar then said that Sivakumar had been effectively expelled, which led to Deputy Speaker Hee Yit Foong presiding over the sitting at 10.50am.
5. Zambry immediately proposed former Sungkai assemblyman Datuk R. Ganesan as the new speaker and was seconded by senior exco member Hamidah Osman.
6. With support from 31 assemblymen, Hee duly announced to the sitting that Ganesan had been elected as the new speaker. Sivakumar, however, still refused to leave and remained firmly seated in the speaker's chair.
   
   
   
7. DAP assemblyman Thomas Su Keong Siong tried to grab the microphone from Ganesan which led to BN assemblymen forming a protective ring around the new speaker.
8. As the situation worsened with the two sides nearly coming to blows, several plainclothes policemen entered the hall and tried to restore order despite shouts of protest from Pakatan assemblymen.
9. Ganesan tried his best to reason with the Pakatan assemblymen, saying
   "the speaker is chosen by the assembly, not the rakyat".
10. Sivakumar was then escorted out of the assembly by several policemen amid shouts of "keluarkan, keluarkan" (get him out, get him out).
    
    
    
11. As the chaos continued, Zambry moved a motion for prayers in anticipation of Raja Nazrin delivering the royal address.
12. Calm was momentarily restored when all the remaining 58 assemblymen took their seats and listened to Raja Nazrin's speech.
    
    
    
13. Within minutes of Raja Nazrin leaving the house, Ganesan announced that the fractious meeting of the second term of the 12th Assembly was adjourned sine die.

PR COMMENT

BN angkuh, tidak hormat undang-undang - Presiden PAS
"PAS sekali-kali tidak akan menghormati kerajaan yang sememangnya tidak menunjukkan rasa hormat mereka kepada undang-undang dan perlembagaan negara,"

Pelantikan Speaker BN tidak sah!
Speaker tidak boleh dilucutkan jawatan seperti yang dilakukan Adun BN di Perak memandangkan V Sivakumar belum meletak jawatan. "hanya dalam tiga situasi sahaja speaker baru boleh dilantik iaitu speaker sedia ada meletak jawatan, meninggal dunia atau selepas penggal baru persidangan Dun bermula."- mohd Zaki

(* story from Harakahdaily)


BN COMMENT

Pelantikan Speaker, usul yang dilulus sah - Peguam
Hafarizam berkata, penyingkiran Sivakumar adalah sah kerana usul itu difailkan lebih 14 hari sebelum persidangan dan oleh itu ia perlu dibahaskan dan diputuskan pada persidangan hari ini.
Mengikut Perintah Tetap Dewan Negeri, sebarang usul yang dibawa lebih 14 hari perlu dibentangkan untuk kelulusan Dewan.

“Perkara 36A (1) (b) menyatakan bahawa tanpa kehadiran Speaker, Timbalan Speaker boleh mempengerusikan sehingga pelantikan Speaker yang baru dan Hee (Yit Foong) mengisi kekosongan itu merupakan pelantikan yang betul,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini hari ini.
Mengenai dakwaan pakatan pembangkang bahawa persidangan DUN itu tidak sah, Hafarizam berkata terdapat persetujuan Diraja bagi persidangan dan mesyuarat telah pun diwartakan.

‘‘Lagi pun, BN mempunyai 31 undi dan peraturan majoriti mudah menyatakan bahawa usul yang diluluskan hari ini semuanya sah termasuk persidangan itu,” katanya.

Muhammad Shafee berkata, dalam sebarang kes, Speaker tidak boleh menggantung mana-mana ahli Dewan untuk tidak melebihi sehari.

(* story from Utusan)


COMMENT

What has happen? What went wrong? Who is the bad guys?

Maybe that some of questions that can be heard in this situation. From my point of view, it is not the question who right or who wrong. It is whether can both sides, BN and PR can work together despite their political backgrounds.

UK multiparty House of Commons and USA Senate has prove their credibility to serve for their respective nations and their actually can work together and be less partisan in some situations. UK House of commons currently almost 11 parties in the assembly and still can retain order, even with Prime Minister is challenged by 2 shadow Prime Minister.

USA even with 2 party system, the senate is prove to be less partisan with its 6-years term.

But, what happen to Malaysia? 2 dominant party, 1 leader with 1 shadow leader, ended up with confrontations, and its only a state assembly with 59 seats.

Almost 1 year, both sides has said to serves for the people, but with the situations now, I think that some of this assemblymen only be elected not to serve for the people but for their own personal gain. Usually ended up, "this is what people want".

Just my personal view, I think we don't have to hold another by-elections or choose a new Chief Minister, but likely a conventions, so that this two party, BN and PR alike must do whatever they can to cooperate with each other... by any means necessary.
Perak have its own Vision 2015, and it is just 6 years from now....

be fast all assemblymen. Rakyat is watching...