Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Democracy taken away!!!


On the 27th of February 2009, V. Sivakumar who is still the legitimate speaker for the Perak Assembly has called for an emergency sitting of the Assembly on the 3rd of March 2009 to vote on two motions, the first motion being the affirmation of Nizar Jamaluddin as the legitimate Chief Minister and the second is the call for fresh polls in the state. Although Sivakumar has acted within his power as the Perak assembly speaker to call for the Assembly meeting, the Perak legal advisor, Ahmad Kamal Mohd Shahid has tried to block the notification of the emergency sitting. Ngeh who is one of the ex-exco member of the Perak government before the BN took over the Perak government early February says that this obstruction is in “contempt of the house” and is liable for punishment under house rules.

Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar said that a statement made by the state assembly secretary was made without his knowledge and permission and that the secretary has no powers to interpret Standing Orders. He cited the legislature's Standing Orders 89 as giving him final say in any interpretation of the state assembly's Standing Orders.On March 2, 2009 the Perak state secretary’s office issued a directive to lock the gates to the state assembly building ahead of an emergency sitting of the state assembly. On March 2, 2009 Perak State Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar announced that he was suspending the assembly's secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri with immediate effect and that the emergency meeting of the assembly scheduled for March 3 would go ahead as planned. The suspension action was taken because of Abdullah's failure to carry out his duties professionally.

Lawyers representing Datuk Dr Zambry Kadir and his executive council have also filed for an injunction at the High Court in Ipoh in an attempt to lift the suspension orders preventing them from attending the state assembly. Zambry claimed that the emergency sitting is illegal without the consent of the Sultan. He cited Articles 8, 11 and 36 of the state constitution. However, a check with the Perak constitution confirms that Articles 8 and 11 cited by Zambry were not related whatsoever with what he argued. Articles 8 and 11 are in relation to the state seal, and the executive action of the authority being conducted in the Sultan’s name, respectively.

Based on the information above, we can be clarified that every politician has his or her agenda to benefit themselves and their party. Since BN was declared the party to rule Perak by Sultan Azlan Shah, they were grouses aired by many 'Perakians'. Many complained that they were rigged of their democracy. Since the emergency state assembly was announced by V. Sivakumar, i was sure that there would be some 'hanky-panky' stuff happening. Indeed the opposition were not allowed to the state secretariat and they had to do it under a raintree now famously called the 'Pokok Demokrasi'. This developments would surely irk many people and i am sure people would be demanding for by-elections.

I hope this developments would not affect the progress of the 'Silver State'. I am sure the Sultan would realise the fact the state is in need of fresh elections. If this persist, we might see the fall of Perak. We don't want that to happen. Whether it is Barisan or Pakatan, people don't want their
rights to be taken away.

Malaysia is a democratic country......So, why take away people rights. Democracy shall live on and we as Malaysians should fight for it!!!!

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