> Pakatan Rakyat gearing up for state election in Perak

by Kong See Hoh

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is gearing up for a state election in Perak which it believes will be held very soon.

According to a report in Oriental Daily News, PR is dead sure that the Perak state assembly will be dissolved soon based on the latest political developments in the state and the belief the Barisan Nasional (BN) is worried that the repercussions from its power grab earlier in the year would affect its performance in the next general election if the "hiccups" in Perak is not resolved.

PR top leaders said reliable BN sources revealed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has agreed in principle to seek the dissolution of the Perak state assembly but the Sultan will make final decision on the matter.

The report said PR, at its council meeting on Monday, discussed preparations for a state election, including on the strategies to be adopted to endear itself to the people.

It said the coalition believed that the most democratic way to elect a government is to allow the people to exercise their wisdom and make an informed choice.

It is understood that PR, which comprises Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAS and DAP, is expected to come up its election manifesto soon.

Perak PR has also set up several committees to mobilise members of component parties at short notices.

It is also learnt that PR will also pick their shadow village heads for some 140 new villages to take care of problems faced by villagers.

Perak PKR deputy chief Chan Lih Kang, who was among those who attended the PR council meeting, told Oriental that the coalition has all these while believed that BN will call for an election in Perak and that it is just a matter of time that the assembly is dissolved.

He was mum about what was discussed at the meeting but stressed that the abattoir issue in Kedah has not affected Perak PR - theSun.