PR sees no solution but dissolution
By Sharon Tan, The Edge
KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) is ready to meet Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a bid to resolve the constitutional crisis in Perak but maintains that the mandate should be returned to the people.
Speaking after chairing a meeting of PR leaders at the PAS headquarters yesterday, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the coalition leaders were ready to meet with Najib.
“We reiterate that the mandate should be returned to the Perak people to determine the legitimate government,” he said.
Anwar said organisations such as Suhakam and the Bar Council, as well as academicians, politicians including from BN, and Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh had said that the best solution for the impasse was by dissolving the state assembly to make way for fresh polls.
Asked on what type of cooperation PR was seeking, Anwar said the proposed meeting with Najib would strictly be to discuss the Perak issue.
“The due process and legal recourse can continue notwithstanding our strong reservations against the conduct of many judges, even at the highest level,” he said, adding that Perak was a political crisis that must be decided by the people and not the palace or courts.
Pressed on the type of cooperation with BN that PR was looking at, Anwar said: “It is not a question of cooperation but it is a question of working to dissolve an impasse. We are suggesting that a meeting take place as soon as possible to try and resolve this. Our proposal has always been that the people must decide.”
Anwar said PR leaders would give their views at the meeting and would listen to what Najib had to say.
On whether he was willing to compromise on having fresh elections, Anwar said PR’s position was clear on the matter but was prepared to listen.
DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang said the question of a coalition government in Perak did not arise.
“No one in PR spoke about coalition government but we want to resolve the political crisis in Perak that has dragged on for the past three months,” said Lim, adding that since Najib orchestrated the power-grab in February, it was he who must take responsibility to resolve it.
Lim also said Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir should vacate the Menteri Besar’s office immediately as the stay of declaration only stopped ousted MB Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin from carrying out his duties.
“The Court of Appeal did not overturn the decision of the High Court that Zambry is the unlawful MB. He (Zambry) has no right to gate-crash the state scretariat building to reoccupy the MB’s post.
“Zambry has put Perak into a constitutional limbo where at present there is no MB in the sense that no one could carry out the duties of the MB,” said Lim.
