The New Straits Times
LIKE the "sitting under a tree" incident in Ipoh that caused a stir on March 3, Thursday's Perak state assembly sitting is drawing even more attention.
Events of the past week have sparked public discussion on what could be expected from the sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan, a stone's throw from the rain tree under which the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen convened in March.
Events of the past week have sparked public discussion on what could be expected from the sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan, a stone's throw from the rain tree under which the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen convened in March.
Those following the political debacle in Perak can expect to see more new rulings and counter-rulings from all sides in the next 72 hours.
All this and more are in the offing from a state purporting to have "two" menteris besar, a partisan state assembly speaker from the opposition and "two" state assembly secretaries, one each from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.
Yesterday, Speaker V. Sivakumar of the DAP overruled a directive by the Perak Information Department permitting only 13 media organisations to cover the state assembly sitting.
Sivakumar is now allowing all media organisations to the proceedings "to safeguard the principles of democracy and freedom of the press".
"There is no reason to bar any media organisation from covering the sitting. The people have a right to know the antics of their elected representatives during the state assembly sitting," he said in a statement.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said in his blog he had asked the department to allow all media organisations into the state assembly, denying he had anything to do with the earlier restriction.
Despite the prospect of extensive press coverage, moves are afoot to prevent the much-anticipated assembly sitting from taking place.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders have been coaxing supporters to hold illegal gatherings against the sitting. They launched the "Jom Ke Ipoh, 7 Mei 2009" campaign to encourage mass attendance at opposition-organised ceramah.
Zambry is worried, expressing his feelings in a first posting on his blog launched on May 1: "I don't understand their emotive content. But I do concur that the firebrands will surely lead to chaos and uncertainty.
"They love to see the people suffer. They act as provocateurs who will ultimately push the people to the streets."
Will the Federal Reserve Unit again be called on to maintain public order as it was on March 3? Will party supporters try to sow chaos?
The assembly proceedings will be closely followed given the constitutional impasse and BN's bid to replace the speaker, which has never happened before in this country. BN has nominated former Sungkai assemblyman Datuk R. Ganesan of the MIC, who has since accepted his nomination as the new speaker.
Ironically, Sivakumar will have to give the nod before the motion to remove him could be tabled at the assembly. Will he allow the procedure to boot him out?
Politicians, including from BN, believe Sivakumar will reject the motion and adjourn the sitting sine die.
He could also again declare the Changkat Jering, Behrang and Jelapang seats vacant and order Mohd Osman Jailu, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Hee Yit Foong to leave the house.
He may also ask Zambry and his six executive council members, who were suspended by the special privileges committee on Feb 8, to also leave the premises.
Thursday's sitting, however, unlike the one held under the tree, has been consented to by the Sultan of Perak.
Ousted menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who still maintains he is the rightful menteri besar, has confirmed his attendance despite calling the assembly invalid, along with the other 26 Pakatan assemblymen.
Barring any hitches, all 59 assemblymen, including the three independent pro-BN assemblymen, will be present, at least for the official opening by Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah. For now, the sitting, if it does take place, remains shrouded in controversy.
All this and more are in the offing from a state purporting to have "two" menteris besar, a partisan state assembly speaker from the opposition and "two" state assembly secretaries, one each from Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.
Yesterday, Speaker V. Sivakumar of the DAP overruled a directive by the Perak Information Department permitting only 13 media organisations to cover the state assembly sitting.
Sivakumar is now allowing all media organisations to the proceedings "to safeguard the principles of democracy and freedom of the press".
"There is no reason to bar any media organisation from covering the sitting. The people have a right to know the antics of their elected representatives during the state assembly sitting," he said in a statement.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said in his blog he had asked the department to allow all media organisations into the state assembly, denying he had anything to do with the earlier restriction.
Despite the prospect of extensive press coverage, moves are afoot to prevent the much-anticipated assembly sitting from taking place.
Pakatan Rakyat leaders have been coaxing supporters to hold illegal gatherings against the sitting. They launched the "Jom Ke Ipoh, 7 Mei 2009" campaign to encourage mass attendance at opposition-organised ceramah.
Zambry is worried, expressing his feelings in a first posting on his blog launched on May 1: "I don't understand their emotive content. But I do concur that the firebrands will surely lead to chaos and uncertainty.
"They love to see the people suffer. They act as provocateurs who will ultimately push the people to the streets."
Will the Federal Reserve Unit again be called on to maintain public order as it was on March 3? Will party supporters try to sow chaos?
The assembly proceedings will be closely followed given the constitutional impasse and BN's bid to replace the speaker, which has never happened before in this country. BN has nominated former Sungkai assemblyman Datuk R. Ganesan of the MIC, who has since accepted his nomination as the new speaker.
Ironically, Sivakumar will have to give the nod before the motion to remove him could be tabled at the assembly. Will he allow the procedure to boot him out?
Politicians, including from BN, believe Sivakumar will reject the motion and adjourn the sitting sine die.
He could also again declare the Changkat Jering, Behrang and Jelapang seats vacant and order Mohd Osman Jailu, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Hee Yit Foong to leave the house.
He may also ask Zambry and his six executive council members, who were suspended by the special privileges committee on Feb 8, to also leave the premises.
Thursday's sitting, however, unlike the one held under the tree, has been consented to by the Sultan of Perak.
Ousted menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who still maintains he is the rightful menteri besar, has confirmed his attendance despite calling the assembly invalid, along with the other 26 Pakatan assemblymen.
Barring any hitches, all 59 assemblymen, including the three independent pro-BN assemblymen, will be present, at least for the official opening by Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah. For now, the sitting, if it does take place, remains shrouded in controversy.
No comments:
Post a Comment