Perak State Security: MB Nizar's Office and Residence

PR Party members stand guard at MB's residence and office gate, while the
Federal Government and Police guard access to UMNO party premises.

ON SITE (IN IPOH, PERAK)OBSERVER'S COMMENTS:

from [XXXX]
to Salak
date Sat, Feb 7, 2009 at 9:33 PM
subject Gopeng Road belongs to UMNO?
mailed-by yahoo.com
signed-by yahoo.com

9:33 PM (35 minutes ago)

The whole of Jalan Gopeng leading to UMNO has been closed since Friday and I just checked with residents living around there that they have been much inconvenienced by the detours put up by police when they need to get in and out of their residence.

I find this baffling, why should the road infront of UMNO be closed 24 hours a day since Friday? What is there in UMNO Perak HQ that they need the police protection? Who instruct this road closure? Is UMNO the government?

I find this sheer blatant abuse of power!

MALAYSIA State of PERAK: Constituional Crisis follows Federal Gov't Coup

UPDATE !

Extracts Live Report of the last hour, events in Kuala Kangsar, the Royal Capital of Perak, where the DISPUTED new Perak State Government, is supposedly to be installed :

14:13 : We are now in the Masjid Ubudiah, close to the Istana. Friday prayers are drawing to a close now.

14:15 : Outside the mosque in Kuala Kangsar, a row of police trucks are on standby with police and riot police making their presence felt.

14:15 : People are now leaving the mosque.

14:17 : The road to the mosque and the Istana have been blocked by the policeclose to the roundabout. We have had to walk 2km to reach here.

14:18 : It's a hot sweltering afternoon here. Along the road uphill to the mosque stand large mansions. On the other side of the road lie more humble abodes with zinc roofs.

14:19 : The crowd outside the mosque is now chanting, "Allahu Akhbar", They are chanting, "Reformasi!" The roar is deafening.

14:22 : The crowd is swelling as more people emerge from the mosque. They are chanting near the porch inside the premises of the mosque, while the police are outside the premises on the road passing by the mosque below.

14:25 : Now they are chanting, "Hancur, Hancur, Umno! Hidup, hidup,. hidup, rakyat!" About 6,000 Perakians outside the mosque are now facing the FRU..

14:29 : A large group of 500 or so are heading to the Istana to meet the Sultan.

14:30 : But police fire teargas forcing them to turn back and head back to the direction of the mosque.

14:32 : Fisticuffs have broken out between the FRU and the frontline of the crowd. The riot police are outnumbered but they force the crowd back with teargas.

14:36 : A Malay couple approach me. The woman, an activist with the Abolish ISA Movement, is carrying a child. "See what they have done," she tell mes, showing her teary eight year old child. "The tear gas has hit her."

14:38 : The crowd are still chanting, "Allahu Akhbar!" A Malay gentleman approaches me. "Are you from the media? Please tell the people that the MB is not derhaka against the sultan. He is trying to defend the administration of the state from corruption in the people's interest."

14:38 : SIrens are wailing outside the mosque now.

14:39 : The water cannons have arrived. The people outside have scattered, and not many are now remaining.

14:41 : About a housand people are still outside. Further away, people are standing on the perimeter outside the mosque.

14:42 : They are still chanting, "Allahu Akhbar! There is no god but Allah!" "Reformasi! Reformasi! Reformasi. Hidup hidup .... hidup hidup....hidup rakyat!"

14:43 : These are tumultuous scenes.

14:45 : The eight-year-old girl near me, Asiah, is recovering from tear gas. She is now sitting up. I think she will be okay, perhaps she is in a state of shock.

14:46 : Two thousand people are now sitting on the road, directly facing the FRU water cannon trucks, which are blocking the way to the palace.

For minute by minute Live reports visit ANILNETTO.COM

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Ipoh, Perak residents reported difficult movement in the City. The Malaysian Police are closing off certain roads to prevent people movement. The constitutional Menteri Besar, as of this moment, is under siege by the Police.

Published: Friday February 6, 2009 MYT 2:10:00 PM

Nizar finds his office emptied

By TEH ENG HOCK and IVAN LOH

IPOH: All of Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin’s belongings, including personal items and official documents, have been removed from the Mentri Besar’s office.

Nizar arrived at the State Secretariat building at 9.50am in his official car but was not allowed in until he stepped out to ask the security guards for permission.

When he arrived at his office, he was surprised to see that his cabinets and drawers had been emptied, with photos on the walls removed as well.

He said all the items had been taken away under the instruction of State Secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Hashim.

He described that his office as having been “ransacked”, without even a notice of eviction served on him.

“There’s nothing left, I had all my personal belongings in the drawer but have all have been taken away,” said Nizar at the Mentri Besar’s office on Friday.

“I don’t know where they kept my belongings but I believe they have kept them safely,” he added.

Nizar spoke briefly to pressmen in the room, stressing that the Pakatan Rakyat government was still the legal administration in Perak.

“At the state assembly, if there is a vote of no confidence on me then I will tender my resignation. That process must be adhered to,” he said.

He said he would continue with his daily duties, including contacting some of consultants and potential investors to postpone appointments that had been set earlier.

“I ask the people to remain calm. We are living in a world of law so the law supersedes,” he said.

Asked what would happen if new Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abd Kadir moved into the office Friday, Nizar said: “I will probably share the room with him. It’s better to have a ship with two captains isn’t it?”

The press conference was cut short by Abdul Rahman, who ordered reporters to leave the building at 10.10am.

His words fell on deaf ears, prompting Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Azisman Alias to step in with his officers to escort Nizar, his aides, executive council members, and the media out.

But the situation quickly turned into a cat-and-mouse game between the police and the media, as reporters scattered into the rooms of other exco members instead of leaving the building.

ACP Azisman and his men had to go from room to room to constantly remind and escort the 50-odd pressmen out of the building.

At about 10.40am, Nizar was seen leaving the building in the official Mentri Besar’s car.

The Star

The Sultan of Perak - pupeteers at work behind the Throne?

Pix: TheNutGraph

"We are a legal state government and he (Abdul Rahman) has no right. So, we appeal to the Sultan to dissolve the state assembly to give the power to the people (to choose a new state government) as in this instance, the Menteri Besar has not resigned or been sacked," he said.

Mohamad Nizar said he would go to his office as usual tomorrow and would continue with his offjavascript:void(0)icial duties.

He also urged the people in Perak to understand the current situation and to remain calm as his side would adhere to the laws and regulations.

According to Mohammad Nizar, Article 16 of the Perak State Constitution states that if the Menteri Besar has lost the confidence of the state assembly, a motion of no-confidence could be tabled at a special session, other than dissolving the state assembly.

At the same press conference, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said PR supported Mohammad Nizar's stand and asked that the Perak State Constitution be respected.

"We believe that this problem can be resolved and that the Perak Sultan will give his due consideration."

Anwar also claimed that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had wrested power in Perak by buying over the assemblymen and issuing threats.

"Only the court can resolve the matter by calling for a new state election," he said and urged PR supporters to be calm.

Meanwhile, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang who agreed with Anwar's views, said even the rulers needed to follow the laws in a democracy and under the constitional monarchy system.

Bernama

Some very serious questions must be entertaining the minds of Perak citizens and Malaysians in general. His Highness the present Sultan has not been in the public eye very much for some time now. Some pictures appeared during the 25th State Anniversary but other than that very little is heard of his Royal Highness, who was a highly competent constitutional lawyer but perhaps age is catching up with him.

CONSTITUTION OF PERAK - ARTICLE 16 (6)

IF THE MENTERI BESAR CEASES TO COMMAND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, THEN, UNLESS AT HIS REQUEST HIS HIGHNESS DISSOLVES THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, HE SHALL TENDER THE RESIGNATION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

According to Article 16 of the Perak Constitution, it is irrefutably clear that His Highness' legal role is minimal and to the letter of the Constitution, the State Secretary appears to be exceeding his duties in his purportedly legal instruction to demand the MB to vacate his position or his physical office.

These are very apparent signs of incompetency and bad and malicious intentions reminiscent of the old palace intriques.

PERAK on the Boil - An affair to remember

Taib Mahmud survived a political affair here in 1987

UPDATE

LIVE REPORTS

4.05pm: State secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim instructs Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar and all exco members to vacate their offices at the state secretariat by 5pm today. They have been reminded not to take any official documents with them. They were also told to hand in their official car keys as well as the keys to their offices

3.25pm: It learnt that Mohd Nizar will announce his refusal to resign as requested by the sultan.

3.20pm All top Pakatan leaders are in a meeting at Mohd Nizar's official residence to chart their next course of action. A press conference is expected to be held soon. Notable absentees are Kedah MB Azizan Razak and Kelantan MB Niz Aziz Nik Mat.

About 30 supporters have gathered outside the residence. A big team of some 50 journalists are also waiting there.

3pm: The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement, said that after meeting all the 28 BN assemblypersons and the three independents, the sultan was convinced that Mohd Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members.

"If YAB Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin does not resign his post as Perak menteri besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of menteri besar and state executive councillors are considered vacant," the statement said.

2.40pm: The five Indian state representatives in Perak - A Sivasubramaniam (DAP-Buntong), V Sivakumar (DAP-Tronoh), Keshvinder Singh (DAP-Malim Nawar), S Kesavan (PKR-Hutan Melintang) and A Sivanesan (DAP-Sungkai) - held a press conference earlier today that they would remain loyal to Pakatan Rakyat.

Speaker Sivakumar said that various approaches were made to entice them to cross over to BN.

"We were offered money and high posts in party (MIC) and government but we rejected the advances of these people," he said.

MalaysiaKini

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What Bernama said : -

Published: Thursday February 5, 2009 MYT 3:12:00 PM
Perak: Sultan tells MB to resign, no dissolution

IPOH: Sultan Azlan Shah has decided not to give his consent to the dissolution of the Perak state assembly and has ordered Mentri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and his state executive council to step down with immediate effect.

The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement on Wednesday, said that after meeting all the 28 Barisan Nasional assemblymen and the three independents, the Sultan was convinced that Mohammad Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members.

"If Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin does not resign his post as Perak mentri besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of mentri besar and state executive councilors are considered vacant," the statement said. - Bernama

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1.32pm:PKR source says that the sultan had asked Mohd Nizar to step down as menteri besar to allow a smooth transistion of power at their brief meeting today but the latter had refused to do so.

1.30pm:Najib just ended his Perak Umno meeting and left the party's state headquarters without calling a press conference. It is learnt there was a discussion on who to be appointed as new menteri besar.

1.25pm:Najib is still at the Umno meeting. However, it is learnt that he will not be holding a press conference after the meeting.

1.05pm :Perak MB Mohd Nizar leaves the palace. He waved and smiled at reporters. He just said: "Good signs. Alhamdulliah." His meeting with the sultan lasted 15 minutes. He had entered the palace at 12.50pm.

Mohd Nizar will be holding a press conference along with Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng at 3pm.

12.50pm:Najib is presently chairing an Umno meeting in Ipoh where the choice of the new menteri besar is being discussed. He is expected to call for a press conference within the next hour.

12.40pm:There is an indication that Sultan Azlan Shah will allow Barisan Nasional to form a state government with the participation of three independents.

MalaysiaKini

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Newsflash (11:50am) : PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be at Perak Mentri Besar’s office at 3pm and a mammoth gathering is planned for 7pm at the MB’s residence.

Newsflash (11:38am) : Perak Mentri Besar Nizar told reporters in Bagan Serai that he has just been summoned to Istana Kinta.

Newsflash (11:34am) : Najib has left Istana Kinta with the four assemblymen.

Newsflash (11:21am) : Najib returned to Istana Kinta, this time with four former Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang),Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering), Jelapang Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang) and Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim (Bota) to meet the Sultan of Perak.

Newsflash (10:35am) : Perak Umno state chief Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his deputy Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi leave Istana Kinta. Najib is expected to chair the state liaison committee meeting to discuss the Barisan candidate for the Perak Mentri Besar's post.

Newsflash (9:50am) : Deputy Prime Minister and Perak Umno chief Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and state Umno deputy chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (Bagan Datoh MP) enter Istana Kinta to seek Sultan Azlan Shah’s consent for Barisan to form the new Perak government.

Newsflash (9:00am) : Speaker V. Sivakumar told reporters that he will ask the High Court on Thursday to declare as valid the undated letters of resignation by the three Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen - PKR’s Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang) and Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) and DAP’s Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang) - who resigned from their respective parties to become Independents who have pledged to support Barisan Nasional.

The Star

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The current political turmoil in Perak is not a new phenomenon in Malaysian politics.

During the 1987 turmoil in Sarawak, 28 out of the 48 state representatives plotted in the Ming Court Hotel in Kuala Lumpur to overthrow Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud's government.

The dissenting group of state assemblypersons said they had lost confidence in Taib and asked him to convene a meeting of the state assembly for a vote.

Taib however advised the governor to dissolve the state assembly and called a snap state election, which was won by the Taib faction and he remained the chief minister ever since.

And then there was also the emergency rule declared in Kelantan in 1977 which allowed BN to take over the PAS-ruled state.

While one cannot second guess the sultan, it would nevertheless be timely to be reminded of what the sultan himself wrote in his book Constitutional Monarchy, Rule of Law and Good Governance in 2004.

"Under normal circumstances, it is taken for granted that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would not withhold his consent to a request for dissolution of parliament. His role is purely formal."

He also added that no sultan or agung had withheld consent to dissolve legislative body, except in Kelantan in 1977.

However with the political power play coming into the picture, it will not be a surprise if the sultan decides to act against his own writing in acceding to Najib's request rather than dissolving the state assembly.

MalaysiaKini

His Highness the Sultan of Perak has the last word

BN set to form Perak govt as Sultan defers decision on dissolution


IPOH, Feb 4 – A Barisan Nasional (BN) government in Perak is looking all but certain after a PKR state assemblyman defected back to Umno while three independents pledged their support for the coalition.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin also failed to secure consent from Sultan Azlan Shah to dissolve the state assembly in his last ditch attempt to have fresh polls and head off BN's attempt to seize power.

“The decision is now with the Sultan,” Nizar told reporters after an audience with Sultan Azlan Shah.

At a press conference in Putrajaya earlier, Deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced to reporters that Jamaludin Mohd Radzi, Osman Jailu and Hee Yit Foong would back a BN government while Datuk Nasarudin Hashim, who had just two weeks earlier defected to PKR, would rejoin Umno.

“BN now has the majority to form the next government. We will seek an audience with the Perak Sultan.

“BN has 28 seats now, which is equal with Pakatan Rakyat, but we have three extra who are friendly to Umno and BN,” Najib said

He added that the three independent lawmakers had also informed the Sultan in a letter sent yesterday that they had quit their parties.

All four assemblymen appeared at the press conference with Najib.

Jamaluddin, Osman and Hee had earlier turned independent while Nasarudin had defected to PKR less than two weeks ago.

“The situation in the state is critical. I have to make sacrifices,” Nasarudin said when asked why he had decided to rejoin Umno.

The other three did not speak to reporters.

With their defections, it is looking likely that BN will get to form the state government.

More PKR lawmakers are also expected to defect to BN.

Najib said BN representatives would meet the Sultan as soon as possible to seek his consent to form the next state government.

With the defections to BN, the Pakatan Rakyat will only have 28 seats to Barisan Nasional’s 31 in the 59-seat assembly.

Nizar is now resting PR’s hopes on the Sultan in the hope that consent will still be granted for fresh polls.

The PR alliance of PKR, Pas and DAP are confident of winning fresh polls with a bigger mandate.

But with a four seat majority, and more defections likely, the Sultan looks likely to accept BN’s offer to form the next government.

The Malaysian Insider

Again? Shoed at? Guess who's next !

Wen, too, was shoed! (Wen Jiabao is China's PM)

Shoe attack on Chinese leader Wen Jiabao
Updated 23.36 Mon Feb 02 2009

A protester has thrown a shoe at Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao - but missed.

The shoe landed on the stage about a metre from Mr Wen, who was delivering a speech on the global economy at Cambridge University.
The shoe landed on the stage about a metre from Wen, who was delivering a speech on the global economy at Cambridge University

The protester, who was held by university security guards, shouted "how can the university prostrate itself with this dictator?" and "how can you listen to this unchallenged?", according to witnesses.

A police spokeswoman said the man is being held in custody and questioned on suspicion of committing a public order offence.

The shoe attack was reminiscent of events in Baghdad in December last year, when Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi hurled both his shoes at George W Bush.

Unlike Mr Wen, the then-US President was forced to duck to avoid the flying footwear.

The Chinese Premier, who earlier met Prime Minister Gordon Brown for economic talks, described the incident as "despicable".

The first two days of Mr Wen's visit were marred by noisy protests over human rights abuses in China and Tibet.

Five men were arrested for public order offences outside the Chinese Embassy near London's Regent Park on Sunday.

Mr Brown said a £400 billion fiscal stimulus announced by Beijing will create huge opportunities for British exports to China.

He added: "The strength of the relationship between China and Britain will be a pivotal force in helping us through the downturn and a powerful driving force behind our future growth and prosperity."

ITN News

RELATED POST:

• Duck ...!

Perak on the boil - Is there a silver lining?

Pangkor Sunset | Pix - virtualtourist.com

What could have been a simple solution of a national referendum over Malaysia's political crisis, now complicated further by the global crisis by holding a fresh General Election, has now turned out into what might be historically gleaned from the anals of Sejarah Melayu in intrigues and sinister plottings. If we are "gemilang" something of a major upheavel will happen in the next 90 days. If we are not, it comes down to a madness of shuffling 6 covers over 12 jars: that we've just gone back to the good old days of Malacca! I hate that tie - it suggests the Portuguese might be back, but they won't as they might have better things to do.

But will China? China doesn't need any more territory. They have more than they can chew right now. In any case, the Middle Kingdom might just come into near reality with a consumer market of some 1.6 billion buyers! Imagine how China entrepreneurs will hit the advertising market ! There's big money there! We might as well make Mandarin our second language. It's one reality we have to cope with once this economy crisis turns a healing.

So what about Perak? It just says BN and Najib are on the war-path! And it could mean some wealth lords in UMNO are panicky. The money crunch will have eaten away at their resources - and all ingregients for a political showdown are there to boil!

Regardless of the little plays of defections from both PR and BN in Perak, Najib (and/or his MyTeam bolasepak) will take no chances and have pushed Tajol Rosli, BN's honcho in the State out of the way.

There were theories that Anwar Ibrahim wanted to ride on the 1998 crisis to churn things out, politically, and sealed Reformasi in then. It didn't happen. Now there's a crisis bigger than 1998. And it might just about lay out the whole scene for Reformasi - Act II. All the known rules of our wealth system are broken. Whatever we have on defection, disatisfaction and non-action are now out to be remade!

What should we say? You could say ... let it boil !

PJ VIGILS, Sun 1 Feb, 2009 - Malaysians for Change

PJ Vigils, 1 Feb, 2009 Pix: WJ

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"...Just came back from Anti Isa Vigil at PJ. Disperse within 5 mins of gathering. End with National Anthem. SB (With an O in between SB) and regular force were there to PROTECT US again. Well, how come their protection does not gives me the assurance that i am SAFE? How come when I see them, my heart pop like mad? there are a lot of question that i want to ask. But end up, it will not have any answer at all for me. ...

[Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 9:50 PM...WJ]