8.45pm: Five FRU police trucks arrive creating some tension among those gathered outside the MB's residence. The crowd shouted at the riot police, while PAS security team closes the gate to the MB's residence. However, the police made no attempt to enter the residence.
8.15pm: Among the crowd seen outside the MB's residence are former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim and popular blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.
7.50pm: About 1,000 Pakatan supporters are gathering outside MB's official residence. More are streaming in, creating a traffic jam in the area.
Despite warnings of tough action, police presence is minimal apart from traffic cops helping to ease congestion. The MB's residence has been sealed off by the PAS security team, Unit Amal. With the state government headquarters taken over by police this afternoon, there is fear that Mohd Nizar could be evicted from his official residence.
Many in the crowd are spotted holding umbrellas as there is a light drizzle. Banners at the gathering called for the dissolution of the state assembly as well as the return of power to the people. Pakatan top guns, including Anwar Ibrahim, are due to speak later tonight.
7.10pm: Chenderiang assemblyman Dr Mah Hang Soon, who is the sole MCA state rep in Perak, told Malaysiakini that he is likely to be one of the executive councillors in the new state cabinet line-up.The MCA Youth deputy chief said that according to BN tradition, MCA will have one post in the state cabinet. However, he said he has yet been informed which portfolio he would be given. Mah added that the new government will be sworn in tomorrow at 3.30pm.
6.45pm: Pakatan supporters have been told to gather at the Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar's official residence after gates to the Ipoh Stadium were found to be locked.
(6:30pm) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi leaves Istana Kinta with an unidentified man sitting next to him.
6.15pm: PM Abdullah was seen leaving Istana Kinta. According to the latest information, the new BN-led state government is expected to be sworn in by Sultan Azlan Shah tomorrow.
(5:53pm) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrives at Istana Kinta to pay a courtesy call on Sultan Azlan Shah. He arrives with an entourage of nine cars.
5.50pm: PM Abdullah arrives at Istana Kinta in Ipoh. He joins Najib and all 28 BN state representatives as well as the three Independents who are already inside the palace. They will be sworn in by Sultan Azlan Shah to take over the state government.
4.58pm: A new BN government is expected to be sworn in today. Bernama reported that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the state BN representatives have arrived at Istana Kinta. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is on an official visit to the state, is also expected to be present at the palace any time now.
4.53pm: The police have taken over the state secretariat building. All Pakatan officials in the complex are told to pack up and leave by 5pm.
4.50pm: Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim said that they want to meet the sultan to convince him to dissolve the assembly.
4.45pm: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said that the Pakatan leadership fully backed Mohd Nizar's government. He added that the menteri besar will not resign unless a special state assembly session was called or fresh elections held.
4.40pm: Mohd Nizar tells the press conference that he would not resign from his post as the menteri besar. He urged the people to back his Pakatan government.
He also said that the assembly speaker had filed a suit on the validity of the resignation letters submitted by three former Pakatan state representatives and said that it was only wise to wait for the court to decide on the matter. "The BN's majority may not be a valid one," he said
4.15pm A source inside the Pakatan meeting at the MB's residence say that the atmosphere inside is sombre. Anwar is chairing the meeting, without everyone is being allowed to have a say.
4.14pm Unconfirmed reports state that former DAP state assemblyperson Hee Yit Foong's house in Ipoh and her service centre in Jelapang have been pelted with stones by people angry with her defection.
4.10pm Roads leading to the state secretariat have been blocked by the police to stop people from gathering there.
4.05pm: State secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim instructs Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar and all exco members to vacate their offices at the state secretariat as soon as possible. They have been reminded not to take any official documents with them. They were also told to hand in their official car keys as well as the keys to their offices
3.25pm: It learnt that Mohd Nizar will announce his refusal to resign as requested by the sultan.
3.20pm All top Pakatan leaders are in a meeting at Mohd Nizar's official residence to chart their next course of action. A press conference is expected to be held soon. Notable absentees are Kedah MB Azizan Razak and Kelantan MB Niz Aziz Nik Mat.
About 30 supporters have gathered outside the residence. A big team of some 50 journalists are also waiting there.
3pm: The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement, said that after meeting all the 28 BN assemblypersons and the three independents, the sultan was convinced that Mohd Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members.
"If YAB Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin does not resign his post as Perak menteri besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of menteri besar and state executive councillors are considered vacant," the statement said.
2.40pm:
The five Indian state representatives in Perak - A Sivasubramaniam (DAP-Buntong), V Sivakumar (DAP-Tronoh), Keshvinder Singh (DAP-Malim Nawar), S Kesavan (PKR-Hutan Melintang) and A Sivanesan (DAP-Sungkai) - held a press conference earlier today that they would remain loyal to Pakatan Rakyat.
Speaker Sivakumar said that various approaches were made to entice them to cross over to BN.
"We were offered money and high posts in party (MIC) and government but we rejected the advances of these people," he said.
2.27pm: Bernama reports that the Sultan of Perak has rejected the request by Mohd Nizar for the dissolution of the state assembly. The report also said that the sultan has asked Mohd Nizar to step down to pave the way for a power transfer.
2.14pm: Tonight's 100,000 people gathering in support of the Pakatan government has been shifted to Stadium Ipoh from the menteri besar's official residence.
The police have issued warnings against those who take part in "illegal gatherings" in Ipoh.
2pm: Anwar arrives at Mohd Nizar's house. He is expected to hold a press conference together the menteri besar and Penang CM Lim Guan Eng at 3pm. PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is also there.
1.32pm: A PKR source says that the sultan had asked Mohd Nizar to step down as menteri besar to allow a smooth transistion of power at their brief meeting today but the latter had refused to do so.
1.30pm: Najib just ended his Perak Umno meeting and left the party's state headquarters without calling a press conference. It is learnt there was a discussion on who to be appointed as new menteri besar.
1.25pm: Najib is still at the Umno meeting. However, it is learnt that he will not be holding a press conference after the meeting.
1.05pm: Perak MB Mohd Nizar leaves the palace. He waved and smiled at reporters. He just said: "Good signs. Alhamdulliah." His meeting with the sultan lasted 15 minutes. He had entered the palace at 12.50pm.
Mohd Nizar will be holding a press conference along with Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng at 3pm.
12.50pm: Najib is presently chairing an Umno meeting in Ipoh where the choice of the new menteri besar is being discussed. He is expected to call for a press conference within the next hour.
12.40pm: There is an indication that Sultan Azlan Shah will allow Barisan Nasional to form a state government with the participation of three independents.
It is learnt that the sultan met with the four defectors at Istana Kinta this morning.
The four had accompanied Najib to the palace during the deputy prime minister's second visit to see the sultan. BN's 28 state representatives were also present.
At a brief press conference later, Najib said that all BN state assemblypersons and three Independents have given their undertaking to the sultan that they will back a Barisan-led government.
‘As such, we will leave it to the sultan to make his decision and we shall respect his decision,” he said.
When asked who would be BN’s choice for MB, Najib said that they would first wait for the sultan’s decision.
Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar is still in a meeting with sultan.
malaysiakini
4.14pm Unconfirmed reports state that former DAP state assemblyperson Hee Yit Foong's house in Ipoh and her service centre in Jelapang have been pelted with stones by people angry with her defection.
4.10pm Roads leading to the state secretariat have been blocked by the police to stop people from gathering there.
4.05pm: State secretary Abdul Rahman Hashim instructs Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar and all exco members to vacate their offices at the state secretariat as soon as possible. They have been reminded not to take any official documents with them. They were also told to hand in their official car keys as well as the keys to their offices
3.25pm: It learnt that Mohd Nizar will announce his refusal to resign as requested by the sultan.
3.20pm All top Pakatan leaders are in a meeting at Mohd Nizar's official residence to chart their next course of action. A press conference is expected to be held soon. Notable absentees are Kedah MB Azizan Razak and Kelantan MB Niz Aziz Nik Mat.
About 30 supporters have gathered outside the residence. A big team of some 50 journalists are also waiting there.
3pm: The office of the Sultan of Perak, in a statement, said that after meeting all the 28 BN assemblypersons and the three independents, the sultan was convinced that Mohd Nizar had ceased to command the confidence of the majority of the state assembly members.
"If YAB Datuk Seri Ir. Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin does not resign his post as Perak menteri besar together with the members of the state executive council, the posts of menteri besar and state executive councillors are considered vacant," the statement said.
2.40pm:
The five Indian state representatives in Perak - A Sivasubramaniam (DAP-Buntong), V Sivakumar (DAP-Tronoh), Keshvinder Singh (DAP-Malim Nawar), S Kesavan (PKR-Hutan Melintang) and A Sivanesan (DAP-Sungkai) - held a press conference earlier today that they would remain loyal to Pakatan Rakyat.
Speaker Sivakumar said that various approaches were made to entice them to cross over to BN.
"We were offered money and high posts in party (MIC) and government but we rejected the advances of these people," he said.
2.27pm: Bernama reports that the Sultan of Perak has rejected the request by Mohd Nizar for the dissolution of the state assembly. The report also said that the sultan has asked Mohd Nizar to step down to pave the way for a power transfer.
2.14pm: Tonight's 100,000 people gathering in support of the Pakatan government has been shifted to Stadium Ipoh from the menteri besar's official residence.
The police have issued warnings against those who take part in "illegal gatherings" in Ipoh.
2pm: Anwar arrives at Mohd Nizar's house. He is expected to hold a press conference together the menteri besar and Penang CM Lim Guan Eng at 3pm. PKR vice-president Azmin Ali is also there.
1.32pm: A PKR source says that the sultan had asked Mohd Nizar to step down as menteri besar to allow a smooth transistion of power at their brief meeting today but the latter had refused to do so.
1.30pm: Najib just ended his Perak Umno meeting and left the party's state headquarters without calling a press conference. It is learnt there was a discussion on who to be appointed as new menteri besar.
1.25pm: Najib is still at the Umno meeting. However, it is learnt that he will not be holding a press conference after the meeting.
1.05pm: Perak MB Mohd Nizar leaves the palace. He waved and smiled at reporters. He just said: "Good signs. Alhamdulliah." His meeting with the sultan lasted 15 minutes. He had entered the palace at 12.50pm.
Mohd Nizar will be holding a press conference along with Pakatan leader Anwar Ibrahim and DAP leader Lim Guan Eng at 3pm.
12.50pm: Najib is presently chairing an Umno meeting in Ipoh where the choice of the new menteri besar is being discussed. He is expected to call for a press conference within the next hour.
12.40pm: There is an indication that Sultan Azlan Shah will allow Barisan Nasional to form a state government with the participation of three independents.
It is learnt that the sultan met with the four defectors at Istana Kinta this morning.
The four had accompanied Najib to the palace during the deputy prime minister's second visit to see the sultan. BN's 28 state representatives were also present.
At a brief press conference later, Najib said that all BN state assemblypersons and three Independents have given their undertaking to the sultan that they will back a Barisan-led government.
‘As such, we will leave it to the sultan to make his decision and we shall respect his decision,” he said.
When asked who would be BN’s choice for MB, Najib said that they would first wait for the sultan’s decision.
Menteri Besar Mohd Nizar is still in a meeting with sultan.
malaysiakini
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