LEGALITY OF THE ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT THAT REQUESTS FOR ASSEMBLY SITTING TO BE DECLARED ILLEGAL

Sivakumar's lawyers argued that the assembly was adjourned sine die last November and as such, the Speaker had the power to convene a new sitting.

According the Secretary of the Assembly, the emergency sitting of the assembly called for today (Tuesday) is not valid because it does not have the consent of the Sultan of Perak.

The assembly is separate from the state secretariat.

State Police chief warned of police action against any gathering at the Perak Darul Ridzuan complex, saying such gathering would be illegal.


Meanwhile, MTUC says Stop politicking, get to work!

"With so many claims and counter-claims by both sides, it was difficult for the common man to undestand the actual situation,"

Showdown in Perak

The stage is set for a showdown here tomorrow between two political groups, each claiming to be the rightful state government.

A defiant State Legislative Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar is bent on going ahead with an emergency sitting of the assembly tomorrow morning to vote on two motions, aimed at killing the Barisan Nasional administration of Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir who was appointed by the Sultan of Perak as mentri besar.

But the obstacles are already up. Since this evening, police roadblocks were erected along the main road leading to the Perak Darul Ridzuan building which houses the Perak Mentri Besar office, the State Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly.

An unsigned notice put up at the complex advised employees at the building in Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab to cancel all appointments tomorrow at the premises.

However, in reaction, senior DAP exco member Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham said they will go ahead to attend the assembly. He pointed out that the assembly is separate from the state secretariat.

Ngeh was with reporters waiting at the Ipoh High Court this afternoon, following talk that BN lawyers would file for an injunction to stop the special meeting.

Perak police chief Datuk Zulkefli Abdullah warned of police action against any gathering at the Perak Darul Ridzuan complex, saying such gathering would be illegal.

He said they were informed by the building administration that the State Assembly would not sit tomorrow and added that only employees and people with special approval would be allowed in.

"According to a statement from the Secretary of the Assembly received today, the emergency sitting of the assembly called for tomorrow (Tuesday) is not valid because it does not have the consent of the Sultan of Perak," he said when contacted by Bernama.


This afternoon, Zambry told a press conference that they had filed an originating summons in the High Court today, seeking a declaration that Sivakumar's decision to suspend him and his exco was unconstitutional, unlawful and ultra vires the constitution.

The case will be heard at 9am tomorrow.

He said another suit was also filed, by the three BN-friendly Independents on the status of their unsigned resignation letters, which Sivakumar had used to declare their seats vacant. This will be heard on March 5.

In another development, state executive councillor Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid served notice to refer Sivakumar to the Rights and Privileges Committee for alleged misconduct.

The notice, to which was attached a report on the alleged misconduct by the speaker, was served on Sivakumar's political secretary A. Basu at the speaker's office at the Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan at 11am.

Mohd Zahir said the notice was also related to several actions of the Speaker, including his decision to suspend Zambry and his six state executive councillors from the legislative assembly recently.


FRU unit deployed at the Perak State Assembly Building
"We regard this as being contrary to the Perak Constitution and in violation and contempt of the order of the Sultan of Perak. We, as the state assemblymen including the speaker, must state our undivided loyalty to the Sultan of Perak," he told reporters after serving the notice.

He said according to Article 47 of the Perak Constitution, all state assemblymen had sworn to, among other things, uphold, safeguard and defend the Perak Constitution as well remain loyal to the Sultan of Perak.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had on Saturday said that Sivakumar could not call the sitting as the court had yet to decide on the status of the state government.

However, Sivakumar's lawyers had argued that the assembly was adjourned sine die last November and as such, the Speaker had the power to convene a new sitting.

Courtesy of sun2surf (photos and story)

MTUC: Stop politicking, get to work!

The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) wants the Government and the Opposition to cut down on politics and start governing the country.

MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran(pix) said it had been "one long year" since the conclusion of the 12th General Election (GE) last March, and politicians on both sides were still on"'campaign mode".

He said it was time both sides got cracking and put in place, concrete plans to ensure the country could withstand the onslaught on its economy due to external sources.

Rajasekaran expressed concern over the Federal Government's indecisiveness on many important basic issues in the past year, which affected the man-in-the-street and the workers, like the hike in price of petrol, diesel, water, sugar and highway toll.

The MTUC was also very concerned with the lack of cooperation between the five opposition states and the Federal Government on so many issues which confused the people.

Rajasegaran said MTUC was particularly concerned with the fluid situation in Perak as it was also confusing the people.

"With so many claims and counter-claims by both sides, it was difficult for the common man to undestand the actual situation," he pointed out.

Expressing similar sentiments, the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (FOMCA) said the government machinery should not be used for "narrow political agenda" of political parties.

Its secretary-general, Muhammad Shaani Abdullah, said politicians should stop dividing the people to serve their own political interests.

He pointed out that it had almost been three months since approval of the 2009 Budget, but the people were still waiting to see results.

Bernama

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