PERAK ASSEMBLY SHOWDOWN: All eyes on an event without precedent

(NST) IPOH: It will be history of sorts when the much awaited Perak state assembly sitting convenes today.

With a whopping 101 media representatives from various organisations, including bloggers, giving coverage, even the smallest detail of the proceedings will not be left out.

Although the sitting is scheduled to be held until May 13, most observers are wondering how it will go after the opening.

Seats are so limited that only two representatives from each media will be allowed into the assembly at any one time.

However, the much anticipated "grabbing" of seats as claimed by former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin is not likely to take place.

Sources told the New Straits Times that Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, his executive council line-up, BN assemblymen and the three independents friendly to BN will be seated on the right side of the speaker.

"This message was relayed to Speaker V. Sivakumar by assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri during the rehearsal this (yesterday) morning," a source said.

"We have told him (Sivakumar) that the present government must be seated on the right side of Perak Regent Raja Dr Nazrin Shah."

It is learnt that Raja Nazrin will deliver the royal address before officiating the sitting as his father Sultan Azlan Shah is abroad.

Nizar had reportedly refused to give up his seat located on the right of the speaker, a place reserved for the menteri besar, when he hinted that he would be following the instructions of the speaker, who has the final say on the sitting in the house.

Security has already been beefed up in and around the State Secretariat building with several roads in the area being closed to traffic throughout the seven-day sitting.

In anticipation of a large crowds gathering illegally in the vicinity, police roadblocks were set up at the Jalan Panglima Bukit Gantang Wahab-Jalan St John junction and near the Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman flyover last night.