Perak sultan: No dissolution of assembly

LIVE REPORTS (Malaysiakini) 3.25pm: It learnt that Mohd Nizar will announce his refusal to resign as asked by the sultan. 3.20pm All top Pakatan leaders are in a meeting at Mohd Nizar's official residence to chart their next course of action. A press conference is expected to be held soon. Notable absentees are Kedah MB Azizan Razak and Kelantan MB Niz Aziz Nik Mat. About 30 supporters have gathered outside the residence. A big team of some 50 journalists are also waiting there. 3pm: The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement, said that after meeting all the 28 BN assemblypersons and the three independents, the sultan was convinced that Mohd Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members. "If YAB Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin does not resign his post as Perak menteri besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of menteri besar and state executive councillors are considered vacant," the statement said. 2.40pm: The five Indian state representatives in Perak - A Sivasubramaniam (DAP - Buntong), V Sivakumar (DAP - Tronoh), Keshvinder Singh (DAP - Malim Nawar), S Kesavan (PKR - Hutan Melintang) and A Sivanesan (DAP - Sungkai) - held a press conference earlier today that they would remain loyal to Pakatan Rakyat. Speaker Sivakumar said that various approaches were made to entice them to cross over to BN. "We were offered money and high posts in party (MIC) and government but we rejected the advances of these people," he said. 2.27pm: Bernama reports that the Sultan of Perak has rejected the request by Mohd Nizar for the dissolution of the state assembly. The report also said that the sultan has asked Mohd Nizar to step down to pave the way for a power transfer. 2.14pm: Tonight's 100,000 people gathering in support of the Pakatan government has been shifted to Stadium Ipoh from the menteri besar's official residence. The police have issued warnings against those who take part in "illegal gatherings" in Ipoh. 2pm: Anwar arrives at Mohd Nizar's house. He is expected to hold a press conference together the menteri besar and Penang CM Lim Guan Eng at 3pm. PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is also there. 1.32pm: A PKR source says that the sultan had asked Mohd Nizar to step down as menteri besar to allow a smooth transistion of power at their brief meeting today but the latter had refused to do so. 1.30pm: Najib just ended his Perak Umno meeting and left the party's state headquarters without calling a press conference. It is learnt there was a discussion on who to be appointed as new menteri besar. 1.25pm: Najib is still at the Umno meeting. However, it is learnt that he will not be holding a press conference after the meeting. 1.05pm: Perak MB Mohd Nizar leaves the palace. He waved and smiled at reporters. He just said: "Good signs. Alhamdulliah." His meeting with the sultan lasted 15 minutes. He had entered the palace at 12.50pm. Mohd Nizar will be holding a press conference along with Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng at 3pm. 12.50pm: Najib is presently chairing an Umno meeting in Ipoh where the choice of the new menteri besar is being discussed. He is expected to call for a press conference within the next hour. 12.40pm: There is an indication that Sultan Azlan Shah will allow Barisan Nasional to form a state government with the participation of three independents. It is learnt that the sultan met with the four defectors at Istana Kinta this morning. The four had accompanied Najib to the palace during the deputy prime minister's second visit to see the sultan. BN's 28 state representatives were also present. At a brief press conference later, Najib said that all BN state assemblypersons and three Independents have given their undertaking to the sultan that they will back a Barisan-led government. ‘As such, we will leave it to the sultan to make his decision and we shall respect his decision,” he said. When asked who would be BN’s choice for MB, Najib said that they would first wait for the sultan’s decision. Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar is still in a meeting with sultan. Earlier today Sultan Azlan Shah met with Perak BN chief Najib Abdul Razak at the Istana Kinta in Ipoh this morning, and this was to be followed by another meeting with Perak Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin. Najib has informed the sultan of BN's strength in numbers in the state assembly that will allow the coalition to take over the control of the state from Pakatan Rakyat. On the other hand, Mohd Nizar is advising the sultan to dissolve the state assembly to pave way for fresh elections in the state to resolve the political impasse. Also present at the meeting with the deputy prime minister is Perak Umno deputy chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Najib and Ahmad Zahid arrived at the palace at 9.50am. He left at 10.35am and returned about 20 minutes later with four former Pakatan assemblypersons who had pledged support for BN. The party left at 11.30am. Meanwhile, Mohd Nizar is currently on his way to meet with the sultan. He left Bagan Serai at 11.30am where he was attending a function officiated by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. He told journalists there that he had been summoned by the sultan. After the meeting with the sultan, Najib, who is also the Perak Umno chief, will be chairing a state Umno meeting. Top on the agenda would the choice of menteri besar to lead the BN government. He had earlier cancelled a function in Putrajaya this morning to attend the meeting with the sultan. Pakatan goes to court Meanwhile, Perak state assembly speaker V Sivakumar has applied to the High Court to declare that undated resignations letters by former Pakatan representatives as valid. The three - PKR's Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Osman Jailu, and DAP's Hee Yit Foong - have claimed that their quit letters signed soon after being elected as assemblypersons last March were done under duress. The Election Commission has overruled the Perak speaker on the matter. Yesterday Perak MB Mohd Nizar met the sultan for almost two hours to request for dissolution of the state assembly so that a snap state election could be held. Mohd Nizar's meeting coincided with the defection of four Pakatan representatives to BN yesterday, severely altering the number of seats from Pakatan to BN. The fate of the state government now hinges on the sultan. Political observers are waiting to see if he would allow BN to form the state government or will dissolve the state assembly. Among the other developments taking place in Perak today: Pakatan will be holding its council meeting in Ipoh later this afternoon. Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and all other top guns from the alliance are expected to be present at the meeting. A mammoth gathering is also being organised tonight outside the menteri besar's residence in support of the embattled Pakatan government. A crowd of about 100,000 is expected. Anwar and other top Pakatan leaders are among the speakers at the rally, which is to begin at 7.30pm. Police chief Musa Hasan has warned that action will be taken against illegal gatherings in Ipoh.