Thursday, March 13, 2008

Perak MB crisis: Sultan gets angry

From Malaysiakini:Perak MB's swearing-in put off

breaking news: In yet another dramatic twist to the formation new state government in Perak, the swearing-in ceremony of Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as mentri besar today has been cancelled.

Mohammad Nizar, a PAS assemblyman, was to be sworn in at the Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar at 4pm today.

However, palace officials made an announcement at 4.20pm that the ceremony had been put off. No reason was given.

It is learnt that the three candidates for the menteri besar post were involved in a prolonged meeting with the Regent of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah at the Kinta Palace in Ipoh just prior to the swearing-in ceremony.

The meeting lasted from 2.30pm to 4.05pm, hardly leaving any time for them to be at the 4pm swearing-in ceremony at the Kuala Kangsar palace, which is about one hour from Ipoh.

It is not clear what had transpired at the close-door meeting.

Yesterday the DAP-PKR-PAS coalition in Perak agreed to appoint Pasir Panjang state assemblyperson and Perak PAS secretary Nizar as the new menteri besar.

State DAP chairperson and Sitiawan state assemblyperson Ngeh Khoo Ham and an Indian state representative were to be the deputy menteri besar (1) and (2) respectively.

More stumbling blocks

However the appointment of Nizar was objected by the DAP leadership with party stalwart Lim Kit Siang saying that the party had only agreed for a DAP or a PKR menteri besar.

This morning the problem seemed to have been solved with Lim apologising over his objections and Ngeh stating that all misunderstanding have been clarified.

But in another twist of never-ending problems, PKR today issued a statement threatening to pull out from the state administration on hearing that eight of the 10 executive council posts will go to DAP while the remaining two going to other parties.

Originally it is believed that an agreement was made whereby DAP would get six exco posts and two each for PKR and PAS.

However, there was a last-minute change where DAP was given eight seats in the exco, while PKR one and PAS one.


From NST: Raja Nazrin orders 31 coalition signatures agreeing to cooperate, Nizar as MB

The Regent of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah, dismayed at the squabbling over the formation of the DAP-PKR-Pas coalition state government, has postponed the swearing-in of Pas’ Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin as Perak Mentri Besar until the three parties get their act together.

In a meeting with Nizar and the other two MB nominees, Ngeh Koo Ham of the DAP and PKR’s Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi at Istana Kinta in Ipoh, Raja Nazrin instructed them to collect the signatures of all 31 assemblymen under the coalition to state that they:

: agree to work together and cooperate under the coalition government; and,

: also agree to Nizar as the collective choice as Mentri Besar.

The meeting at Istana Kinta unfolded at 2.30pm while VIPs were arriving as the swearing-in at Istana Iskandariah in Kuala Kangsar. By 4.45pm, after Raja Nazrin issued his instruction, all guests left Istana Iskandariah after receiving word that the swearing-in was definitely postponed till tomorrow.

The palace insisted that Nizar was the apt choice, given that the coalition had given their three names for the Sultan of Perak to make the selection.

Here is the blow-by-blow account on the drama as it unfolded today:

11.42am: The DAP apologises for its statement yesterday that the party’s CEC protested the appointment of Perak Pas secretary Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin as Menteri Besar

2.16pm: Perak DAP chairman Ngeh Koo Ham announces that representatives from all political parties in the Perak coalition government will attend Nizar’s swearing-in

2.30pm: Nizar, Ngeh and Jamaluddin in a meeting with Perak Regent Raja Nazrin Shah, presumably about the confusion on who should have been Mentri Besar and also the line-up for the State Exco

2.45pm: PKR issues a statement saying it won't take part in the administration if the Exco composition is not reconsidered though it accepts the decision to appoint Nizar as Mentri Besar

3:05pm: Ngeh clarifies in a statement the confusion behind the appointment of the new Perak Menteri Besar but gave the assurance that the new coalition state government would stay united and agree to a collective leadership.

3.30pm: The Raja di-Hilir arrives at the Istana Iskandariah. Police have cordoned the area. No one is allowed into the compound. Only Bernama and RTM is permitted to cover the swearing in while other members of the media have to sweat it out outside the palace while waiting for developments. A crowd of 100 has gathered at the roundabout outside the Istana Iskandariah

3.45pm: Former Mentri Besar Datuk Tajol Rosli arrives at Istana Iskandariah.

3.55pm: Nizar, Ngeh and Jamaluddin leave Istana Kinta but refuse to speak to the media. It is assumed that they are going to Istana Iskandariah

4:15pm: The media has got word that the swearing-in may be postponed till tomorrow but no official confirmation has been given.

4.45pm: The swearing-in has been definitely postponed till tomorrow due to haggling over the Exco line-up. DAP, PKR and Pas cannot agree on the composition after DAP, after conceding the MB's post to Pas, is now demanding a lion's share of the Exco seats. Both DAP and PKR state leaders have retreated to their respective headquarters in Ipoh to deliberate on the issue.

4.55pm: Ngeh issues statement that Raja Nazri has instructed the coalition to collect the signatures of all 31 DAP-PKR-Pas assemblymen agreeing to work together under a coalition government and that Nizar is the collective choice as Mentri Besar. Ngeh also denies that postponement is due to PKR's threat to pull out of the coalition because they didn't get their Exco seat allocation

5.10pm: Tajol Rosli and Raja di-Hilir and their wives leave Istana Iskandariah. The media also calls it a day.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

BRACE FOR THE WORST...

THINGS NOT RIGHT IN SELANGOR TOO.

SELANGOR PAS STILL IN NEGOTIATION WITH SELANGOR BN...

Anonymous said...

Barisan Rakyat... downgraded to Barisan Rojak.

Anonymous said...

Proposed that:=

Samy Vellu from Sg Siput, Perak to be Menteri Besar of Perak.


Qualifications:-

More than 30 years experience serving in Perak

He has declared on 12 March 2008 that:-

1) "I won't be senator"
2) "I don't want to be a minister"


Semua OK?

william yeoh said...

I just publish this piece of news in my blog after hear it from the news, ABSOLUTELY Barisan Rojak, no hope at all and no eye see. Ipoh folks focus on the work task and make more profits out the business much better rather than focus on "3 party of people who seem cant get along after the election", Mr Tajul Rosli, i miss you, hope this saga will stop soon and do not make Sultan Perak embarassed.

Before election, DAP slogan said Just Change IT and DENY BN 2/3, NOW i said WHY CHANGE IT.

CRAPS...

Sue.Aleen said...

relax la kawan2.. kita tengok dulu permainan dia orang ni.. biasalah tu.. bukan senang bila dah menang ni... menang mengejut la pula tu di perak.. terlalu awal nak menilai kesudahannya. nak menyesal pun buat apa. kita nak tunggu perubahan dalam tempoh 4-5 tahun. then baru decide nak pilih siapa lagi next. even to make a nation by BN takes a long time.. i'm sure they're 'quarrelling' like this at first.. calm down people...

Anonymous said...

TO THE REGENT OF PERAK,

YOUR HIGHNESS, WE WOULD LIKE TO FORWARD THE RAKYAT DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE PERAK MCA CHIEF, WHO IS ALSO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS UNDERMINE YOUR AUTHORITY & BELITTLE YOUR WISDOM ON THE APPOINMENT OF PERAK MENTERI BESAR.

Datuk Ong Ka Chuan : “Having a mentri besar from PAS creates fear among non-Muslims. This also creates political instability.”

Anonymous said...

Doc,
I will not use the "gets angry" title, it is for media.

IMHO, I will say, "Raja Nazrin having fun time with democracy", or perhaps "Opposition prolong Raja Nazrin media air time".

Anonymous said...

It is healthy to open the quarrels.

Don't forget, BN close door tradeoff create corruptions!

The opposition open quarrels are unofficial way to asking alternate opinion, I just give mine ;) Create more exco seat, balance it up.

Perak state population has increase , so there is no reason not to create more exco seat. Open the exco to external entities will help reduce the politics substances of state exco councils.

Anonymous said...

It is sad to hear that the swearing has been postphoned.YE CHANG MENG DUO,hope the coalition will be formed the state government as soon as possible.

Anonymous said...

LKS is good opposition leader. But now DAP became goverment. LKS no more relevent. He is expiring. He is out dated. He will be in history.

Azzam

Maverick SM said...

CBSS,

Did you receive an email resume of Samy?

William,

Ya, I read your piece.

Suealeen,

I have to agree with your point.

Moo_t,

You may be right; but I surely think Nazrin is angry because what he is doing was for the good of the State and with the letter from the BR leaders agreeing to the appointment of the MB.

On the open quarrel issues, it is truly good; but our society is not ready for such openness.

Azzam,

I think we have to accept the facts that there were a number of issues between PAS and DAP that did not conformed with the agreement in principle. But it is part and parcel of negotiation and division of roles and responsibilities. Like what Moo_t said, open argument is good if we do take it in a positive light and without contempt.