Whither Perak?

ARCHIVES 2009

By admin-s On Sep 8, 2009

(The Nut Graph) THE Perak Pakatan Rakyat (PR)'s persistence in not legitimising the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government draws either admiration or irritation.

In part, it's a difference of opinion that reflects political alignments. The BN-aligned depict such resilience as "buat kecoh". This was aptly described in a piece in Utusan Malaysia after Perak PR assemblypersons convened a 2 Sept 2009 sitting of the House in an Ipoh hotel. For the PR, it's "lawan tetap lawan", by now a favourite battle-cry in their ceramah.

In the courts, the PR has filed suits to challenge the legitimacy of the BN's 5 Feb takeover of Perak in all aspects possible, except against the state's ruler. A Federal Court decision on who the rightful menteri besar (MB) is, is pending. Embattled PR Speaker V Sivakumar is also suing the BN-installed speaker Datuk R Ganesan. Apart from that, Sivakumar is also pursuing a judicial review of the Election Commission's decision to retain the seats of the Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang assemblypersons who left the PR to become BN-friendly independents.

Symbolic of its defiance, the PR has also insisted on convening assembly sittings, first the 3 March emergency sitting under a tree, then the recent one in a hotel held six months later as required by the state constitution. It deems as illegal the 7 May sitting when Speaker Sivakumar was removed by police and the BN's Ganesan was elected — some say illegally — instead.

Amid charges of lawlessness, of being rabblerousers, and of confusing the public, what is the value of the PR's continued "theatrics"? For how long can its resilience last? Will the well of public sympathy dry up?

The tree where the emergency sitting was convened

Making a point

Clearly, the PR is not relying on the courts to resolve the impasse, and has mounted resistance at other levels. At the grassroots, regular ceramah for Perakians have been held over the past months.

But after seven months since the PR's ouster from the state government, there are views that the alliance should give their fight a rest and recoup for the next general election. After all, they already have public anger and sympathy on their side. While the PR wants to keep the injustice of the takeover alive, getting carried away with fiery rhetoric at a time when the BN federal government is attempting to regain lost ground through liberalisation policies can be a gamble.

But others feel the PR has no choice. "I think it is their duty to keep on being a pest. To remind everybody that the present Perak government was unlawfully set up by taking away a properly elected government with the use of the sultan," says Universiti Malaya associate professor of law Dr Azmi Sharom in a phone interview.

"People should know that there is a reason for their ruckus. It's not about buat kecoh or cari pasal, but a reminder that democracy should not be taken away through the use of institutions like the courts, the police or the palace, or by enticing elected representatives to cross over."

Zambry

In short, the PR cannot afford to show any acceptance of the BN state government's legitimacy. But what next, if the Federal Court decides that the BN's Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir is the legitimate MB?