llegally barred from entering the Perak state secretariat building on Monday, Pakatan Rakyat lawmakers have decided to reconvene another meeting on Thursday to hear a complaint against Barisan Nasional’s R Ganesan, who has been accused of being improperly appointed.
Several Pakatan assemblymen – members of the House committee of rights and privileges – were barred by the police from entering the Perak Darul Ridwan building this morning.
This despite their pleas and exhortations that it was against the law to stop elected representatives from entering the state assembly building.
Law has been bent beyond recognition
But the law has been bent so much in recent months following the unpopular coup d’etat launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak in February that lawlessness – where Umno might is right – is now part of the everyday not just in Perak but throughout Malaysia.
Perak Umno Menteri Besar Zambry Kadir ordered a convoy of police trucks to surround the state secretariat complex from as early as 7am this morning. They stopped the small group of Pakatan lawmakers as they tried to enter the gates just before 10am.
A heated exchange ensued as Ipoh CID chief Supt Glenn Anthony and principal assistant to the state secretary Shamshuzaman Sulaiman blocked their entry.
Said Simpang Pulai assemblyman Chan Ming Kai to the two men: “I am sorry but I have to inform you that we have no choice but to lodge a police report against you because you have gone against your jurisdiction by disallowing us from entering this building.”
But they refused to back down. Clearly outnumbered, Speaker V Sivakumar in the end demanded that an official letter be issued by the state secretary clearly stating the reasons for the ban so that complaints can be lodged later.
Forced to live in a web of deceit spun by Najib and Umno
This is not the first time Pakatan lawmakers have been illegally barred from entering the complex, with the state secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim openly colluding with Zambry to prevent any unfavourable vote from being tabled against the Umno-BN.
Peark has been plunged into crisis after Najib’s power grab toppled the popular Pakatan administration. He has used all ways and means to cling on although the Perak people have not forgotten the injustice of his act and want fresh election to re-determine their state leaders.
But their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Not shy to use the federal machinery at his disposal, Najib has pressured the courts into an astonishing series of verdicts condemned nationwide and by the legal fraternity to keep himself and his party in power.
The Perak debacle has been singled out as a main cause for the sharp plunge in Malaysians’ confidence in their country’s system.
The recent death of a Selangor political officer Teoh Beng Hock has only compounded their fears of being forced to live in a web of deceit spun by Najib and Umno, and having their democratic rights insidiously removed through slanted court decisions.
“We won’t give up on our rights so easily nor that of the Perak people to free and fair election. We have promised to fight on and we will,” Ming Kai told Suara Keadilan.
Meanwhile, the Pakatan lawmakers, which included Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham, lawyer Tommy Thomas and Pokok Asam assemblyman Yee Seu Kai as witnesses, have decided to adjourned their hearing to Thursday.
They will give Ganesan, who was not present, another chance to attend. A notice will be sent to him as well as the secretary of the state assembly informing them of the new date.
“We decided to convene another hearing this Thursday. This time we hope Ganesan will show up. This is his last chance,” said Ming Kai.
“Yes, the meeting will be at the Perak Darul Ridwan building, which is the rightful place. They have no right to bar us.”
SK
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