Zambry slams PR’s ‘wild’ behaviour
(The Edge) IPOH: Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir today blamed Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblymen for the "chaotic and uncontrolled" assembly sitting which saw shouting and scuffles between the two opposing sides.
He said the assembly proceedings were disrupted by opposition representatives who he claimed left their seats and "rudely attacked" the Barisan Nasional (BN) and independent assemblymen.
"We saw history today… We expected they would act wild as they did," said Zambry, who is Pangkor assemblyman.
(Clockwise, from left) Jelapang assemblywoman Hee Yit Foong, executive councillor Datuk S Veerasingam, new Speaker Ganesan and MB Zambry celebrating at the end of the assembly today. Photo by Chu Juck Seng
Zambry expressed regret that the opposition had acted rudely and impolitely during today's disorderly sitting.
"They acted using the laws of the jungle and did not respect rules," Zambry told reporters at his office here after the assembly sitting was adjourned indefinitely.
Zambry, who was appointed menteri besar on Feb 6 by Perak Ruler Sultan Azlan Shah, said PR failed to respect the royal institution by delaying Perak Regent Raja Dr Nazrin Shah from delivering his officiating speech.
Raja Nazrin, who was slated to officiate the assembly sitting at 10.30am, could only do so at 3.10pm when calm returned to the assembly.
Zambry also expressed dissatisfaction at ousted Speaker V Sivakumar's move to maintain the "status quo" seating arrangement, giving former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and the PR representatives the seats to the right of the speaker while Zambry and the BN assemblymen sat on the "opposition's" side.
The seating area on the right is conventionally reserved for representatives of the ruling party.
"We wanted Dewan (House) to sit peacefully. By convention, the sitting arrangement of the government will always be on the right side. I stood up and said the fundamental principles of the dewan is that the majority rules.
We cannot allow the tyranny of the minority," Zambry said, adding that BN had accepted its place when PR were in power.
Zambry also said he had instructed BN (representatives) not to act aggressively and to observe decorum.
"Let the rakyat make the judgement for their conduct. There was clearly no respect… (We) should not have anarchic minds in the Dewan," he said.
Reading from a statement, Zambry also sought to defend BN-appointed Speaker Datuk R Ganesan's role in Sivakumar's removal from the speaker's seat.
Zambry said Ganesan was forced to call in police reinforcements and government official staff during a scuffle before Sivakumar was removed from his seat.
Ganesan had "no choice" but to order the police to assist the Bentara (sergeant-at-arms) to escort Sivakumar from the speaker's seat to the seating area for assemblymen after Sivakumar ignored his orders to vacate the seat when assembly reconvened at 2pm, Zambry said.
Responding to Sivakumar's orders that police officers were not allowed into the assembly, Zambry said the speaker was empowered under Article 90 of the Standing Orders to issue any orders that were unspecified in the assembly's Standing Orders.
When asked, Zambry said "it's okay" if PR did not recognise Ganesan and should Nizar attempt again to seek royal consent for the assembly's dissolution.
On his or BN's next course of legal action, Zambry said: "We will act accordingly."
