Malaysians Ask: Who Killed Democracy in Perak? Is it UMNO And/Or the Perak Royal Palace?

Read here commentaries in Malaysia-Today and here and here

An emergency sitting called by Perak Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar on March 3, to table two motions on the takeover of the state government IS LAWFUL, according to constitutional lawyers.

The Speaker was lawfully empowered to convene the Legislative Assembly on March 3, since the last meeting of the assembly in November, last year, was adjourned sine die and was NOT prorogued. If it was prorogued, only the Sultan of Perak can summon the Assembly.

Earlier today, Perak State Assembly Secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri, in a statement, said Sivakumar's move to call for the emergency sitting of the assembly was not legal.

He said this was because it had not received the consent from the Sultan of Perak, in accordance with the standing orders of the assembly and the state constitution.

Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar said this evening 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.

He also declared the emergency sitting on Tuesday as legal and will go on as scheduled.

Observers have characterised the standoff between the House Secretary and the Speaker as a possible BREAKDOWN between the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government.

1. Democracy is dead in Malaysia, especially in Perak.
   
   The august house of the State Assembly is reduced to nothing. The speaker has no power.
   
   Why? Because BN/UMNO, with the help of the monarchy has killed off democracy. Now they say the speaker cannot even call for an emergency meeting without the consent of the Sultan.
   
   Might as well dissolve the state assembly and turn Perak into a FULL MONARCHY since EVERYTHING has to be referred to the Sultan, and the RAKYAT is totally IGNORED.
   -"penangboi"
   
   
2. Believe me. BN will employ all dirty tactics they can think of to stop this meeting. On 3/3/09 the PDRM and FRU will set up road block and no ADUN is allow to enter the State Assembly Hall.
   -"Kacang Tanah"
   
   
3. There is nothing illegal to call for an emergency state assembly to pass a non confidence motion. It is more illegal for appointment of a new illegal and immigrant MB and 6 new exco members without getting approval or sitting in the state assembly. Sultan Perak has no power on the appointment.
   -"SiHangChai"
   
   
4. Keadaan di 'Negeri Timah' sekarang Kalam kabut,apabila S/U undangan negeri mengeluarkan kenyataan itu, seolah olah dia yang berkuasa dalam Dewan Undangan Negeri dan bukan lagi Speaker Dewan., Negeri Perak sekarang terjatuh menjadi sebuah negeri disemenanjung yang tiada lagi undang2,hasrat rakyat perak terhampa apa bila keadaannya menjadi begini,mereka hidup dibawah negeri yang hilang haluan,dalam keadaan huru hara ini,yang menderitanya ialah rakyat,siapa yang sebenar nya menanggung kesemua perbuatan yang jahat ini!Ada kah 'Negeri Timah' akan berpulih kembali saperti dahulu, 'Manusia merancang, Tuhan yang menentu!'
   -"biggun129"
   
   
5. Does the Perak State Assembly Secretary know the Assembly sitting procedures? He also doesnt know the power of the Speaker. Looks like this secretary is an UMNO man.
   "sahabat."
   
   
6. Suddenly the sultans have become so important; very important indeed for UMNO who had once stripped off their immunity and rights. Does UMNO realise that the sultan has to abide by the law and constitution as tabled by Mahathir in 1993?
   -"zanie"
   
   
7. Perak Assembly SECRETARY is supposed to serve and take orders from the Perak Assembly SPEAKER. It seemed that there is a betrayal of trust and mutiny. Could the assembly secretary be removed from his post ? Is there a civil service standing order for such breach of discipline ?
   -"chiongguo"
   
   
8. It looks like the Perak State Assembly sitting is becoming a legal battle between the legal brains of the opposition and the legal brains of BN & QC from UK. Some of the advice given by BN leaders, including Pak Lah who advised UMNO to make a police report against the speaker, shows their shallow legal knowledge. Najib's statement that the speaker is wrong to call for the Assembly sitting on Tuesday also shows his ignorance of the constitution. And this are the top two leaders we have today. No wonder the country is heading in the wrong direction.
   -"uxzee"
   
   
9. The Perak state legal advisor, the State Secretary and Perak State Assembly Secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri are all UMNO/BN lapdogs. Their rice bowl depends on their masters and they do not have the balls to betray them. These people are not neutral and are lopsided. The Pakatan Rakyat government should have removed them earlier. Sivakumar's lawyers said today an emergency sitting of the assembly will proceed as scheduled on Tuesday as it "is perfectly legal as stated under the Perak Constitution and in accordance with established parliamentary practice in Commonwealth countries". Yes, Honorable Speaker of Perak legislative assembly, you have the blessings of the Perak rakyat to proceed with the sitting on Mar 3rd. The people's power is supreme, Makka Sakthi!
   -"justme bc"
   
   
10. Let the formerly learned monarch of Perak redeem himself by making a learned stand on this issue. The lawyers have spoken. Let us see if his learnedness can be redeemed, together with his honor.
    -"chanatak"
    
    
11. There will be a lockdown of all roads leading to the State Assembly on March 3rd by the UMNOputras security arm the police and the FRU. The emergency session will not be able to be convened. Very simple reason, the UMNOputras do not dare to face the electorate
    -"educationist"
    
    
12. Having eminent lawyers like Abdullah Antong Sabri in Malaysian Government Service, no wonder we lost Pulau Batu Putih and the EEZ around our beloved Johore. Our Government Lawyers are indeed discovered new methods of practising law like cutting and pasting evidence. So finally the Law of the Jungle becomes the Law of the Land.
    -"SamSan"
    
    
13. Under corrupted regime racist UMNO's policy:
    
    • "Umno kata dia salah ! dia salahlah! Dan Umno kata yang salah tu betul, dia betullah
      
    • Bila Umno sue Sultan, Umno mengikut undang perlembagaan TAPI
      bila pembangkang sue sultan, dia ialah penderhaka !
      
    • Bila Umno serang pembangkang di parliment/luar, ia adalah dipaksa oleh pembangkang dan polis tutup telinga/mata !
      
    • Bila Umno protest haram dijalan, polis beri laluan tapi pembangkang pula dipukul, ditangkap dan dicharge!"
      -"macaufan"



14. The tug of power war is still on going. UMNO regime is adamant to cling on to the ill-gotten spoils of the war by hook or by crook, eventually the good shall prevail the evils. Let's us pray together so that Perak shall be returned to its rightful ownership!!! God bless the RAKYT of Perak. God please, bless the people of Malaysia!!!
    -"DreamLady"
    
    
15. UMNO's understanding of law is bullying and intimidation... that is why they have to get QC to assist. If left alone, they samseng the member of parliament... They do not need to know law, they are the law. They just use the UMNO agencies such as PDRM and FRU; or even send out their Gestapo Celekas to stop the meeting or arrest (ISA) all the MP or some similar lawless, hooligans means that we generally expect from them...
    -"Thian"
    
    
16. People all over the world are thinking how to overcome the economy slow-down and all the bills that they need to pay, and yet the politician are coming up with all these stupid drama one after another... We are in deep shit and yet,nobody pays a hoot,to our sufferings.... Give the Perakians their say on whom they want to govern their state once and for all... The longer the Sultan delay the rakyat wishes,the more drama we will be seeing. Daulat Tuanku, give your poor rakyat some peace and nobody will blame you cos it will be decided by them ,the voters and perakian only , not outsiders.
    -"fdqn"
    
    
17. I can visualize UMNO Youth thugs gate crashing the assembly and beating up the ADUNs. That would be the final nail in UMNO's coffin!
    -"SamYap"
    
    
18. Unless there is some kind of court order, the siiting will go on, the motion passed. So what then? A simple solution to a complex problem......Your Royal Highness......pardon me, dissolve the Perak State Goverment. PR say they have the people on their side and UMNOed BN say that Rakyat owe UMNO a living.... Why not let the Silver State speak for themselves?
    -"Urangsabah"
    
    
19. THE NEXT BUGGER WHO SHOULD BE SACKED, ASSEMBLY IDIOT SECRETARY...ANOTHER RUNNING DOG FOR UMNO.... WOOOF WOOOF
    -"Sabahfan"