> Perak Speaker calls for emergency sitting

Perak State Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar has called for an emergency sitting on March 3 to table two motions on the takeover of the state government. 

 

He said the first motion -- to reaffirm the support for Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as the rightful menteri besar -- would be tabled by Titi Serong assemblyman Khalil Idham Lim Abdullah.

 

The second motion -- to seek for dissolution of the state assembly and pave the way for fresh polls -- will be tabled by Teja assemblyman Chang Lih Kang. 

 

At a news conference here today, Sivakumar said the emergency meeting, which was still in the first session of the state assembly, did not require the consent of the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah as it only needed a 14-day notice.

 

He said the Perak State Assembly secretary had been ordered to issue the notice of the meeting as soon as possible to all assemblymen, except Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and six executive council members, who had been suspended, and three Independent assemblymen who were deemed to have resigned.

  

To a suggestion his action was tantamount to showing disrespect to the Sultan for not getting his consent, Sivakumar said it should not be taken in that context as it was dispensed in accordance with Standing Order 27 (3) of the state assembly.

 

He described attempts to prevent him from convening the emergency meeting as tantamount to denigrating the state assembly.

 

On the possibility that all Barisan Nasional assemblymen would boycott the emergency meeting, he declined comment.

 

Present were DAP Perak chairman Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham and Sivakumar's legal counsel Chan Kok Keong.

 

Dr Zambry, when contacted, said: "That is their true colours." He declined to elaborate - Bernama.