Another appeal to sultan by NGOs

(NST) IPOH: Poultry farmers, butchers, bloggers, old boys and various Muslim groups were among those who have called for the Perak state assembly to be dissolved and snap elections to be held to restore political stability in the state.

"Right now everything is in disarray. The state administration is not functioning. It keeps going to the courts. The biggest group to lose out is the people of Perak," said Mohd Nazri Sahat, a spokesman for the Perak Muslim Concerns group of non-governmental organisations (Kumpulan Prihatin Pertubuhan Islam Bukan Kerajaan Perak).

Business and social interests were stalled due to the political crisis, he said.

The group comprising 25 Muslim NGOs was among 28 non-governmental groups which issued a joint press statement yesterday, urging that a fresh mandate be obtained from the people so that the political crisis would not drag on.

"We don't mind if the Sultan of Perak changes his mind by dissolving the state assembly. I believe the whole of Perak will strongly support the sultan.

"There is no bias for any political group. This is purely a call from non-governmental organisations," Nazri said.

He claimed that some 10,000 Perak folk had signed a petition for snap elections and that the signatures and a memorandum were presented to Sultan Azlan Shah on Feb 19.

Perak Islamic NGO Network deputy chairman Zulkifly Ibrahim also appealed to the sultan to order all government agencies and machinery to carry out their duties as instructed by the "legal state government" and order security forces to conduct themselves professionally and not act violently or unreasonably towards the public.