Court decision against speaker: ‘It’s interference’

(The Star) – The judiciary has now interfered with the legislative powers of the Perak State Assembly and its Speaker, said former state senior executive council (exco) member Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham.

He was responding to Federal Court’s decision Thursday that Speaker V. Sivakumar did not have the power to suspend Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and his six exco members from the assembly.

“The court has set a precedent as now whatever the Speaker says or do can be subject to review in the court,” he said.

Saying that the legislative assembly can ignore the court’s decision as it is only a declaration, Ngeh said:

“The court is expressing an opinion about the legislative assembly while the state assembly has clear rules on governing itself.”

Ngeh claimed that the court’s decision had created more confusion.

“When there is a political problem, it must be solved through political means,” he said, noting that the decision on who should be the rightful government of the day must be decided by people and the court cannot usurp that power.

“As far as we are concerned the Speaker’s power is paramount. He will exercise his power as a Speaker,” he added.

In Kota Baru, Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said the crisis in Perak could only end with a state election.

“I cannot exclude that the people may get frustrated and take matters into their hands and by that time things may be too late.

“The Barisan Government … should have used the proper channel by going back to the people,” he told reporters after officiating a fund to refurbish the Al-Muhlisin mosque at Jalan Hospital here Thursday.