PR willing to meet Najib over Perak

By Deborah Loh
thenutgraph.com

KUALA LUMPUR, 14 May 2009: The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today expressed willingness to meet Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the Perak political crisis, but danced around the question of what both sides would discuss given their opposing views on calling for a snap election.

While claiming they were ready to meet Najib without any conditions, in the same breath, the PR leaders also said the opposition alliance would continue to call for the dissolution of the state legislative assembly to pave the way for fresh elections as the only solution to the crisis.

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said PR would wait for Najib to make the first move to invite them.

Anwar

"We are ready to meet Najib to strengthen democracy in Perak, and we reiterate our stand that the mandate should be returned to the people of Perak to choose a legitimate government," said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser at a joint press conference with PAS and DAP leaders.

The opposition alliance had just finished a meeting to discuss Najib's offer to cooperate on solving the state crisis. Najib had also said there should be no conditions set for the meeting.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Najib should meet with PR leaders as he was the one who started the crisis.

"He is singly responsible for the power grab in Perak. Since he orchestrated the power grab, he must now resolve it. If he is prepared to put the state above personal and party (Umno) interests, then we are prepared to have this meeting. It will be a test of his calibre as prime minister," Lim said.

No cooperation

Both Anwar and Lim rebuffed the notion of "cooperation" or any idea of a unity government with the Barisan Nasional (BN) in Perak.

Anwar said it was more of "working together" to solve the impasse rather than cooperation.

"We are suggesting a meeting with Najib as soon as possible to resolve this, and our proposal is that the people should decide. Co-operate? Co-operate to respect the constitution, co-operate to respect the rule of law. Co-operate and then to go back to the people, he said.

He was asked several times during the press conference on what would be the point of talking with the BN since the coalition was against dissolving the state assembly.

"We will give our views, if he (Najib) gives his views, we will listen. If the meeting takes place, after we meet, we will tell you," Anwar said.

On whether the PR would compromise on having fresh elections, he said, "Our position is clear but we are prepared to listen."

Support for fresh polls

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said there were more civil society groups and individuals, including those from within the BN, who were voicing their support for fresh elections.

Hadi Awang "There are more voices supporting us and it is becoming the majority view now," Hadi said.

Groups that have called for dissolving the assembly include the Bar Council and the National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam).

Individuals from the BN who have openly supported fresh elections include Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh, Umno member of parliament Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Penang Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan, and MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek in his blog.

Lim also criticised Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir for "gatecrashing" the state secretariat building in Perak to re-occupy the menteri besar's post.

Lim said the stay of execution order obtained by Zambry against the High Court's 11 May ruling that Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was the rightful Perak menteri besar only served to stop Nizar from performing his duties as MB.

"The stay does not overturn the declaration that Zambry is not the MB. So Zambry has no right to gatecrash the state secretariat building," Lim said.