(This article was taken from Malaysiakini)
'It can be assured that there will be serious repercussions come the next general elections if the BN is allowed to govern Perak in this way.'
On Perak gov't collapses - BN claims power
Meng: If this is the beginning of Najib's politics, it bodes danger for the country and the rakyat. It is obvious that this is a man familiar only with cloak-and-dagger politics.
From his meeting with Saiful the sodomy accuser to Jamaluddin the Perak rep, everything smells of a rat.
This latest move by Najib is nothing more than a coup and not a proper transfer of power.
The people of Perak have been robbed and shortchanged and I can assure you that there will be serious repercussions come the next general elections if the BN is allowed to govern Perak in this way.
It is hoped that in this darkest hour, the Perak sultan in his wisdom will call for the dissolution of the Perak state assembly to make way for state elections.
If His Highness does not, then the rakyat will surely protest and will return with a vengeance at the next general elections.
Either way, the Barisan Nasional government is nearing its end. They are about to be checkmated.
Vivian Lim: After losing in two free and fair by-elections, Najib finally claims victory in Perak by undemocratic means. I was born and grew up in Perak.
The people of Perak gave victory to Pakatan Rakyat on March 8. Now Najib has, with one shake of his witch's broomstick (and God knows what else) taken away from Perak a government led mainly by people who serve the rakyat.
I appeal to Hee, the ex-DAP state assemblyperson. Please think. If you left DAP because of the ‘bad' guys there, do you honestly think Najib and his cronies are better?
Some things are more important than money or revenge. Rightly or wrongly, you will forever be remembered as someone who denied Perakians true democracy, and delivered them into the hands of their corrupt oppressor.
Do you honestly think you will get much joy out of being a part of BN? If it were not for DAP, you would not have risen from clerk to deputy speaker.
I also appeal to all Perakians and Malaysians to stand up in whatever way you can, defend what little democracy we have left before it is all taken away.
As I am writing this now, I do not yet have news of the Sultan of Perak's decision. I pray that His Highness will do what is wise, just and courageous.
I will not appeal to Najib. We all know there is no point in that.
Prema Subramaniam: As a resident of Perak, it is really a disgrace for Barisan Nasional to pinch the Pakatan Rakyat state representatives.
We pray that our Sultan will cede to Nizar's request and immediately dissolve the state assembly. All the BN representatives will lose their deposits if a snap elections were to be held.
The three state assembly persons who defected to BN are capable of doing anything for their personal gain.
For them, their self interests are above party interests. PR, please vet all your candidates before letting them stand for snap polls.
Perakian: To our benevolent Sultan Azlan Shah. I am a born-bred Perakian. Batu Gajah was my home for the first four years of my life before my family shifted to Ipoh where we still stay in.
Hence, I plead to you, my dear ruler, that you will exercise your excellent judgment and discernment to hear the hearts of Perakians, your people.
Yesterday was indeed a dark day for Perak when we saw a power struggle being conducted instead of nation-building. We have hopes of a better Perak, one that is growing economically and in stability.
And I believe Perakians have seen glimpses of development since Pakatan Rakyat governed the state.
Verily, the PR state government is far from perfect, far from ideal, but I believe this government ought to be given a more significant chance to serve the people of Perak.
I am not a lawyer, hence, I do not know how to speak the lingua franca of law and legalities. But, I do know that the Perakians have spoken on March 8, 2008 and we have chosen the PR government to represent us.
At least, let us decide once again on who we believe can govern this state well. Let us have the government we voted for, not one that barges in through crossovers.
The time has come for nation-building to be the country's and the state's highest priority.
This responsibility and privilege has become even more significant under such trying economic times, where the man-on-the-street is hard hit and the poor become even poorer.
Peter Ooi: It is rather sad that the Perak government under Pakatan Rakyat has to dissolve after hardly having served the state for less than a year.
It had to dissolve not because of its incapability to govern or administer efficiently but because of a few its elected representatives found it fit to desert their parties.
But whatever reasons these reps may have to leave, they are not acceptable to the public.
They were elected using the manisfestoes of their parties. It is the ideals and principles of the said manifestoes that the voters believed when they cast their votes.
Any rep leaving the party after having won is no better than a dishonest salesman who hoodwinks customers into buying products only to find that product's quality does not measure up to what was claimed.
Besides, it is common that large amounts of money be involved in trying to 'buy' reps from the opposite camp.
If the government is serious in combatting corruption, this is one area that it could completely eradicate corruption. Pass a law forbidding party hopping. When party hopping ends, corruption ends.
As long as party hopping is allowed, no government can rule effectively and efficiently. Every one is a suspect.
Thus, the powers-that-be would spend most of their time keeping track or spying on the ‘suspects' instead of concentrating on the day-to-day running of the country.
If Najib is serious in combatting corruption, make party-hopping against the law. Right now the rakyat in Perak are suffering due to uncertainties in the government.
Francis Rozario: The Perak sultan has the prerogative to dissolve the state assembly or to ask for a vote of confidence and if the current Perak MB does not receive such a vote of confidence, the ruler may then appoint another person who commands the majority of the assembly.
It is not necessary to dissolve the assembly at all but if there is a stalemate, then the sultan will have no alternative but to dissolve the state assembly.
Whilst this is a burden on the taxpayer, it is nonetheless necessary. It will help the rakyat to tell Najib that he is not PM material as this whole issue smells of his own personal involvement.
It is time the peole speak and if Perak goes for elections, the people must speak loud and clear.
Andrew Khoo: So much for the immorality of party-hopping and switching of allegiances.
Not that BN held the moral high ground before, but it certainly cannot claim it now and in the future.
G-man: All I can say is how disgusted I am by the conduct of the three defectors from PKR. This goes to show it was all about money and never about the people.
The reps for PKR were voted in for the parties they represented, not the individuals.
And it doesn't surprise me to see two corrupt politicians join the rest of these corrupted as they say birds of a feather, flock together.
The right thing to do is to call for a fresh mandate from the people and let them decide again.
23PSI: The wresting of control of Perak is a hollow victory - one without the support of the electorate.
BN may have succeeded in swinging the representatives over, but the electorate it has not. This only serves to make BN more repugnant than it already is.
Richard Teo: Its sickening. Once again the will of the people has been frustrated by the BN government which has used their power and money to lure the required number of reps to take over the Perak government.
It does not take a genius to know where the Pakatan Rakyat weakness was centred. The two reps who defected were involved in a corruption case which was scheduled for hearing on Feb 10.
What was offered to them is a matter of conjecture but their disappearance during the first few days of the Chinese New Year holidays indicated some kind of deal was struck and the two PKR member was going to hop over to BN in order to save their skin.
It would be interesting to see how the corruption case will now proceed. Most likely the powers-that-be behind the BN government will arrange for some kind of show trial which will eventually exonerate them of any guilt.
The only way for Perak to have a government of the people and for the people is to have a snap election which will finally decide which coalition should have the mandate to form the state government.
This can only happen if the Perak Sultan plays a pivotal role by being non-partisan in his decision to call for a snap election. For a democracy to survive and flourish, the sultan must pay heed to the wishes of its people.
The March 8 election which swept Pakatan Rakyat to power was no accident. If BN is allowed to frustrate the will of the people, then change will not happen because they have deemed it fit to cast aside the aspirations of the people.
This is a testing time for our democracy and the Perak Sultan's decision will no doubt indicate which direction our fledgling democracy will be heading.
Dian Abdullah: Twist and turn, here and there. Well, now it is up to the Sultan of Perak to do the right thing. That is to dissolve the state assembly and let the people decide again.
The arrogant manner Umno had continued with will not last long. In fact, if fresh elections are permitted, I am very sure the people of Perak will teach and even shame Najib and Umno beyond repair.
The Perak people have benefitted much during the short period under MB Mohd Nizar. Though many obstacles were put in front of him by Umno, he never once lost his cool.
Instead, he continued dutifully with his work. This is what the people have observed and I believe the royalty has noticed that too.
Like all Malaysians, I truly believe many more people have become sick and tired of the way money had been used to purchase power and position.
Umno stands to lose all rights and positions in Perak for a long, long time. The people of Perak will do their ‘kung fu kick' and seal their fate.
Aliran Executive Committee: Aliran is alarmed that the duly elected legitimate government in Perak is being toppled through immoral party-hopping thus frustrating the will of the people.
These party hoppers do not represent themselves but they are the representatives of the people. In the last election, these individuals were not elected solely on their individual merit.
Votes were mainly cast for the Pakatan Rakyat in rejecting the BN. If the people had chosen to cast their votes on the merit and qualification of candidates, many of them would not have been elected.
It is very clear the votes were meant for the party. These individuals have no right to now nullify the electoral process.
It would only be morally right that the state assembly be dissolved and fresh elections be held. Let the people decide again who should form government.
An alternative government should not be allowed to emerge through defections under such questionable and dubious circumstances without seeking a fresh mandate from the people in line with their aspirations.
Michael: Nizar is still the MB of Perak. The existing state assembly recognises him as the MB to date.
He will only lose his post via a vote of no-confidence against him in the state assembly and not outside the state assembly ,in concordance with the laws of Perak.
Until the next state assembly meeting is conducted to sack him, he is still the lawful MB. This is different from the absence of a valid state assembly (as normally happens immediately after a fresh election) when the party with the simple majority is allowed to form the government.
Therefore, His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Perak will not be wrong should he decide to dissolve the state assembly upon the request by the current MB.
Unless, of course, our beloved sultan thinks that BN will be able to form a more stable and united state government.
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