BN-PR at odds over assembly sitting

ARCHIVES 2009

By admin-s On May 8, 2009

By Deborah Loh (The Nut Graph)

IPOH, 7 May 2009: The stand-off continues. The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) considers the Perak assembly sitting today as never having taken place, while the Barisan Nasional (BN) claims it did everything by the book.

The PR said it would discuss possible legal action against the actions by BN assemblypersons today which resulted in speaker V Sivakumar being physically ejected from the House to be replaced by a non-elected speaker R Ganesan from the MIC.

The BN's Speaker Datuk R Ganesan in black robes

"The sitting never happened. Everything they (the BN) did is completely illegitimate. As far as we're concerned, Pakatan is still the government and Sivakumar is still the speaker," embattled Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said at a press conference after the sitting was adjourned indefinitely.

He said the BN motions to remove Sivakumar, to change the membership of three assembly committees, and to declare the 3 March tree assembly unlawful, were illegal because at the time, the sitting had not been convened.

Nizar said the real sitting only convened after the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah gave his royal address, which ended at about 4pm.

"We don't acknowledge whatever happened before the Raja Muda gave his address. Only after he spoke, the sitting opened, and then it was adjourned," said Nizar.

He added that Sivakumar had already rejected the motions a day earlier on 6 May in his speaker's chambers, and as such, they should not be raised in the assembly.

Pakatan anarchy

Meanwhile, the BN has accused PR representatives of behaving like hooligans. Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir described the PR assemblypersons in the sitting today as "anarchic".

"They crossed the floor over to our side to harass us. We didn't say anything when Sivakumar asked us to sit on the opposition's side of the chamber as we just wanted the sitting to proceed.

"They left their seats and in an uncivilised manner, they attacked the BN representatives and the independents to create a chaotic situation," Zambry said at a separate press conference.

Zambry also accused PR reps for blocking the Sergeant at Arms from carrying out Ganesan's instructions to remove Sivakumar. He said Ganesan had no choice but to ask the police to help remove Sivakumar.