Showdown in Perak: BN moves for Sivakumar to face privileges committee

(NST) – Moving to annul an emergency session of the state assembly, Perak Barisan Nasional yesterday filed a notice to refer Speaker V. Sivakumar to the Committee of Privileges for abuse of power.

The notice was delivered by state executive councillor Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid, who is in charge of education, higher education, science and technology, at 11am.

The charge against Sivakumar is that he had misused his powers to disgrace the sanctity of the state assembly and disobeyed the decision of Perak ruler Sultan Azlan Shah by suspending Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and six state executive council members.

On Feb 18, Sivakumar ordered Zambry's suspension for a period of 18 months and also ordered the suspensions of Datuk Ramly Zahari, Datuk Saarani Mohamad, Hamidah Osman, Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin, Dr Mah Hang Soon and Mohd Zahir for 12 months.

All seven were also barred from attending state assembly sittings for the duration of their suspensions.

Speaking to reporters outside the speaker's office at the state secretariat here, Zahir said Sivakumar's action in suspending Zambry and the six exco members had contravened Article 47 of the Perak Constitution.

"As we all know, every state assemblyman, including Mr Speaker, must pledge undivided allegiance to the Sultan of Perak before taking his seat in the state assembly.

"He has shown a blatant disregard for the decision of the Sultan (to appoint Zambry as the new menteri besar). His action is tantamount to disobeying the ruler and going back on his pledge of allegiance under Article 47," he said.

Sivakumar ordered the suspensions on the ground that Zambry and the six state exco members were alleged to have failed to provide any explanation to the Committee of Privileges on the charge of having committed contempt of the state assembly when they declared themselves as the menteri besar and state excos.

The seven were asked to appear before the committee following a written complaint from Canning state assemblyman Wong Kah Woh of the DAP who alleged that Zambry and his six exco members had acted against the state assembly and the Perak constitution.

Sivakumar is the DAP state assemblyman for Tronoh.