Media Statement by DAP Parliamentary Leader and MP for Ipoh Timor Lim Kit Siang in Ipoh

Najib should stop attempt at illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak and respect constitutional process and people's mandate

The Prime Minister-in-waiting, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has taken over as Perak UMNO and Barisan Nasional leader, should stop the attempt at the illegal and unconstitutional grab for power in Perak and respect the constitutional process and the mandate of the people of Perak.

The Perak Pakatan Rakyat Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin yesterday had an  audience with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah  to seek the dissolution of the Perak State Assembly and to hold state election, as returning the mandate to the voters is the most honourable and democratic  manner to resolve the political crisis in Perak.

In his book "Constitutional Monarchy, Rule of Law and Good Governance" (2004), the former Lord President wrote:

"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 pointed out that no sultan or agung had withheld consent to dissolve legislative body, except in Kelantan in 1977.

While the Sultan's decision on the Mentri Besar's request for dissolution of the Perak State Assembly is awaited, it is most improper and unconstitutional for Najib to attempt an illegal and unconstitutional grab for power in Perak state to frustrate the will and wishes of the people of Perak in the March general election last year.

This is because the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Perak continues as a legitimate, effective and functioning one, even if the Mentri Besar's request for dissolution of the State Assembly is denied by the Sultan, and it is premature for Najib to talk about forming a new Barisan Nasional state government in Perak.

Article 16(6) of the Perak State Constitution provides for the dissolution of the State Assembly with the consent of the Sultan or the mentri besar's resignation if the mentri besar ceases to enjoy the confidence of the majority of the state assembly.

However, the determination of whether the Mentri Besar has lost the confidence of the majority of the state assembly could only be done by a vote of no confidence in the State Assembly, and not by a claim by Najib outside the State Assembly, especially when it is based on dubious and highly disputable grounds.

This is because Najib's claim that the Barisan Nasional has the necessary numbers in the State Assembly to form the government has still to be proved by way of a motion in the State Assembly.

Although Najib has engineered the defection of three Pakatan Rakyat state assembly persons, the Speaker of the Perak State Assembly had declared their seats vacant and their claims to continue as State Assembly representatives are not recognised by the Speaker in the Assembly.

Excluding the three defectors, there is at most a 28-28 tie between the Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan Nasional in the Perak State Assembly.

Until the Barisan Nasional can succeed in getting a vote of no confidence passed in the State Assembly, the Pakatan Rakyat Mentri Besar and state government should not be hindered from carrying out its tasks as the legitimate, effective and functioning state government.

I call on Najib to cease and desist from any attempt at illegal and unconstitutional grab of power in Perak State government in utter disregard of the constitutiodnal process and the mandate of the people of Perak as this will be a very ominous start for the Najib premiership which is to begin next month when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
 
 
Lim Kit Siang

民主行动党国会领袖兼怡保东区国会议员林吉祥于2009年2月5日（星期四）在怡保所发表的声明：
 
纳吉应停止以不法与违宪手段夺取霹雳州政权，并尊重宪法程序与人民的委托权
 
已接管霹雳州巫统及国阵主席的候任首相纳吉应停止以不法与违宪手段夺取霹雳州政权的阴谋，并尊重宪法程序与霹雳州人民的委托权。
 
人民联盟霹雳州政府州务大臣尼查昨天已觐见霹雳州苏丹阿兹兰沙，以寻求解散州议会及重新举行州选举，以将委托权归还予选民，这是解决霹雳州政治危机最正直体面与最民主的途径。
 
曾担任最高法院院长的苏丹殿下在其著作"君主立宪制、法治与良好施政"（2004年）中写道：
 
"在一般情况下，最高元首肯定不会拒绝御准解散国会的要求。他的角色纯粹属于形式上的礼节。"
 
他也指出，没有任何一名苏丹或最高元首曾经拒绝御准解散立法机构的要求，除了吉兰丹在1977年的情况之外。
 
有鉴于尚待苏丹正在对州务大臣寻求解散霹雳州议会的要求作决定之际，纳吉企图不法与违宪地夺取霹雳州政权，以挫败霹雳州人民在去年3月大选中所表达的政治意愿，是极为不当与视违法为无物之举。
 
这是因为民联霹雳州政府依然是一个合法、有效及可运作的政府，即便是届时州务大臣寻求解散州议会的要求不获得苏丹御准，但是纳吉在现阶段大谈国阵筹组新的霹雳州政府根本尚言之过早。
 
霹雳州宪法第16（6）条文阐明，州议会在获得苏丹御准下解散，或州务大臣在不再获得大多数州议员的信任下辞职而解散（州议会）。
 
然而，要确定州务大臣是否失去大多数州议员的信任，唯一的方法是在州议会中投不信任票，而不是像纳吉在州议会外所宣称的那般，特别是当他所持有的理由极为可疑与具高度争议性。
 
这是因为纳吉指国阵在州议会中拥有足够的议员人数来筹组政府的说法，尚有待在州议会中通过议会动议证明。
 
尽管纳吉一手策划3名民联州议员跳槽，但是霹雳州议会议长已经宣佈他们的议席已悬空，因此他们声称本身仍是州议员的说法并不受到议长的承认。
 
排除这3名跳槽者，民联与国阵目前在霹雳州议会皆拥有28对28的同数议席。
 
在国阵能成功在州议会中通过不信任动议之前，民联州务大臣及州政府应该在不受干扰的情况下执行一个合法、有效与可运作的州政府职务。
 
我要呼吁纳吉别再企图以不法与违宪、极度蔑视宪制程序及霹雳州人民的委托权的手段以夺取霹雳州政权，因为这将成为他在下个月从第5任首相阿都拉手中接任首相的一个负面开始。
 
 
林吉祥