Zambry frustrates Perakians’ hopes for fresh polls

Pakatan leaders at a press conference in the State Government complex around noon – Photo by Kinta Kid (Click to expand)

Back to work: Nizar and his exco team along with Speaker V Sivakumar at the MB’s office this morning

Updates from various contacts and media sources:

1837: Pakatan lawyers are working on trying to set aside the Court of Appeals’ stay decision, which was made by a single judge.

1836: Looking at it from another angle, another KL-based political analyst says  events over the last few days have exposed the rot in various institutions. Yesterday’s High Court ruling offered these institutions a chance for them to redeem themselves, but it was an opportunity lost.

1814: “This is a mess of the BN’s own making,” says a veteran KL-based political commentator. “If it continues along this path, the BN government will only lose further legitimacy, which could result in their losing the next general election.”

Perhaps that is why a string of establishment or pro-BN figures such as Tengku Razaleigh and the Suhakam chairman are calling for more rational, sober action. They can see clearly what is coming. Take for instance Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow: “While the Barisan Nasional leadership maintains that our focus now is on the economy, how can we do so effectively if the Perak situation keeps on worsening and generating negative perception and reaction from the people?”

Indeed, the BN is likely to pay a heavy electoral price as a result of its actions  – and that explains its great reluctance to go for fresh polls.

1725: “People here are just fed up with what’s going on,” says one Ipoh-based journalist. They want a fresh state election, but they are being denied that.

1554: Ngeh announces that the suspension of the State Secretary and State Legal Adviser remains valid as the Court of Appeal stay was granted after the suspension order issued by the MB.

Earlier, The Edge reports Nizar as saying he and Raja Nazrin did not speak about the Perak impasse and court decisions during this morning’s investiture ceremony. Nizar said they spoke about “general life and weather”.  Nizar is also reported as saying he will go into the MB’s office to resume his duties.

1541: Aliran president P Ramakrishnan comments:

Let’s not forget the two issues that had brought about the chaos and uncertainty: the unethical crossovers and the unfortunate refusal to dissolve the Perak State Assembly. These two issues invalidated the mandate of the Perakians and robbed them of their choice of government.

The only sane and sensible thing to undo the damage and bring calm and stability to Perak is to go back to the people to settle this issue once and for all. Let the people decisively decide who should form the government.

There is no other option.

But what to do… Zambry and company are obviously too afraid to face the people in fresh elections.

1528: Nizar is now giving a press conference at the DAP office. He says the Court of Appeal decision raises more questions instead of solving the Perak crisis. The people’s interest must come first, he adds.

1447: Nizar and his exco team leave the State Government building and walk towards the DAP office across the road, about a 100 metres from the Democracy Tree. Nizar greets well-wishers around the DAP office as a crowd gathers around him.

1439: The game of musical chairs continues. After waiting for their lawyers’ advice, Pakatan leaders have decided to leave their offices at the State Government complex in view of the Court of Appeal’s decision. “Popular hope that Malaysians can see a return of confidence in the independence of the judiciary is shattered in less than 24 hours,” says Lim Kit Siang. “How sad and tragic.”

1320: Zambry gets stay order; he wants to resume work as MB. It’s back to square one.  The court sitting was originally scheduled for 2.30pm. Only a single Court of Appeal judge, Ramly Mohd Ali, heard the application. Now everyone will have to wait until the court fixes a date for the appeal proper. Blog reader R G Candiah is amazed at the Court of Appeal’s speed in hearing Zambry’s application for a stay:

I only wish that the courts act like this in all cases, super fast and super efficient. I am intrigued why in some cases, it takes months or even years, when, in the above situation and case, it only took several hours for a panel to be set up.

1253: Still no news on Nizar’s request for an audience with the Sultan to seek the dissolution of the Assembly.

1249: Ganesan has denied a web report that the BN is considering an emergency sitting of the Perak State Assembly to pass a vote of no-confidence against Nizar, according to Idham Lim.

1230: Press conference ends. Ngeh is still locked out of his room as his PA has gone to the palace in Kuala Kangsar to receive a pingat!

1215: Zambry and his team should return the salaries they have drawn over the last three months, says Ngeh, adding that the 7 May State Assembly sitting was invalid (The Star).

1145: The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya begins hearing Zambry’s application for a stay.

1134: Nizar is still at the Istana; so Ngeh is speaking at the press conference now. He announces the following:

• All 342 councillors in 14 local councils to be sworn in by tomorrow.
• 817 village heads to be reinstated.
• Ipoh Central Bus project to proceed as planned
• Sultan Azlan Shah airport to resume flights as soon as possible
• All vacancies in the Perak government will be filled up immediately
• Land office instructed to issue freehold titles
• Parking fees to be reduced t0 30 sen
• Premier University to launch in July 2009
• Sukan Perak cancelled this year; allocation to be channelled to district sports events

1130: Zambry’s application to the Court of Appeal for a stay of the High Court ruling yesterday is due to be heard now.

1128: Zambry reminds his blog readers that the Federal Court had found that the suspensions of himself and his “exco” team were not valid:

Bekas speaker V. SIvakumar pula seperti “buta undang-undang” mendakwa keputusan mahkamah tinggi semalam, mengatasi keputusan mahkamah Persekutuan yang mengistiharkan penggantungan saya serta enam exco sebagai tidak sah.

Padahal, Mahkamah Persekutuan mengatasi keputusan mahkamah Tinggi. Ini adalah antara contoh manipulasi yang dibuat oleh pakatan pembangkang.

Mereka hanya menerima keputusan undang-undang yang menyebelahi mereka dan menolak keputusan yang tidak bersama mereka. Inilah “selective justice” yang diamalkan oleh pembangkang.

1119: The press conference gets underway after journalists are allowed in.

1118: The letters of suspension of the State Secretary and the State Legal Adviser have been pinned up on notice boards around the State Secretariat building.

1110: The press are still barred from entering.

1100: All exco members, some party members and supporters are gathering at the MB’s office for the press conference.

1058: Journalists are crowding around the gate to the State Secretariat building as the press conference is due to begin at 11.00am. But the guards on duty say they will only open the gates at 11.00am.

1045: Zambry’s application for a stay, rejected by the High Court yesterday, could be heard today by the Court of Appeal, reports The Edge.

1034: Journalists are gearing up for a press conference at the State Secretariat building scheduled for 11.00am.

0950: Nizar is now at the Istana attending the investiture ceremony. He is expected to be seated in the Menteri Besar’s seat in the Balai Rong Seri, where the medals are to be awarded by Raja Nazrin. The audience with the Sultan has not yet been scheduled.

0946: Exco member Tai Sin Ng cannot get into his room either as Hamidah has not yet vacated it. He is stuck in the reception area.

0927: The MB’s secretary’s room is bare except for chairs and tables. All files are also missing. Not again!

0924: State exco members are now entering their rooms – except for Thomas Su and Seah Leong Peng, whose rooms are still locked. Their PAs are not around either.

0920: Zambry files appeal against the High Court ruling at the KL High Court registry. He has also filed a stay application against yesterday’s High Court decision at the Court of Appeal.

0911: State Exco member for Local Government Nga Kor Ming has instructed Zakuan, who is the Ketua Penolong SUK (Chief Assistant State Secretary), to appoint all 342 local councillors with immediate effect. They are expected to be sworn in by tomorrow. (Pakatan must still restore local council elections pronto!)

Some of the FRU personnel outside have started leaving.

0901: A press conference is expected to be held in the State Secretariat building at 11.00am, but the media are still locked out.

0825: Exco members are still locked out of their offices. They are waiting in the MB’s office.

0823: Exco member Thomas Su goes to his office but it is locked. His PA is not there either.

0820: Nizar’s aide has delivered a letter at the Istana regarding Nizar’s wish to seek an audience with the Sultan.

0815: Letters of suspension are served on the State Secretary and the State Legal Adviser.

0803: Nizar has left for the Istana for his first official function, the investiture ceremony at 8.30am. He is expected to put in a request for an audience with the Sultan.

Two highlighter pens, two staplers, staples, a pen-holder, some note paper: Menteri Besar yang sah Nizar at his bare desk this morning

Nizar gets past the front gate – Photo courtesy of Idham Lim

0753: Suspension letters are in the process of being served to the State Secretary and the State Legal Adviser at their respective offices in the State Secretariat.

0751: Exco members are still waiting for their keys. With them are Perak Speaker V Sivakumar and Ipoh Barat MP Kulasegaran

0747: The exco members are waiting in the MB’s office for the keys to their respective offices.

0745: The MB’s office is empty except for some stationery.

0741: They are greeted by civil servants and then enter the MB’s office.

0739: Nizar and the exco members are allowed into the building!

0738: They are stopped by police on the  instruction of the suspended state secretary.

0735: Nizar arrives and walks with his exco members tothe State Secretariat building.

0733: Pakatan Rakyat exco members are gathering near the Democracy Tree to return to their rightful offices at the State Secretariat. Waiting for Nizar.

Nizar and his exco are expected to report for duty at the state government complex at 7.15am.

Meanwhile, a source tells me the police are expected to maintain their cordon around the Perak state government building for the next six days, possibly under a court injunction.

The BN is expected to file an appeal today.

A jubilant Nizar acknowledges the cheers of supporters yesterday – Photo courtesy of Harakah Daily

The historic State Assembly proceedings under the Democracy Tree on 3 March 2009