Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin is blocked at the gate as he tries to enter state government building in Ipoh, Perak
KUALA LUMPUR - A northern Malaysian state found itself with two governments over the weekend, as the opposition refused a royal command to stand down in favour of the national coalition.
A new leader from the Barisan Nasional coalition for Perak state was sworn in on Friday, triggering a demonstration by some 3,000 opposition supporters who were teargassed by police.
But Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who for the past year has served as the state's chief minister for the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance, insisted he was still in charge and held a meeting of his "state cabinet" on Saturday.
Mohammad Nizar made announcements on several policy issues including approving extensions on leases for industrial land, and appointing local councillors.
Meanwhile, the Barisan Nasional's new chief mininster, Zambry Abdul Kadir, made his first public appearance in his role, at a Lunar New Year function in the state which has a large ethnic Chinese community.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak defended the Barisan Nasional's power grab in Perak, after four lawmakers defected from the Pakatan Rakyat, which won control in general elections a year ago.
He said his coalition, which rules nationally, was only using tactics favoured by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who last year attempted to seize control of parliament with the help of defectors.
"Please ask Pakatan Rakyat why they started this," he said, according to the state news agency Bernama. "This is the principle that they mentioned, that they accepted and tried to put into practice."
Rafidah Aziz, who heads the ruling party's women's wing, called for action to punish the opposition for defying Perak's sultan, who last week told Mohammad Nizar and his executive council to stand down.
"It is clear that they refused to accept and respect the decision of the sultan, who acted in accordance with the state constitution," she said, according to Bernama.
Monday is a public holiday in Malaysia but it appears both "chief ministers" are intent on arriving at work on Tuesday, despite Mohammad Nizar being escorted from the building last week.
"Usually, I arrive early. We'll be having a race to see who reaches there first," Mohammad Nizar joked at a press conference on Saturday, according to the news website Malaysiakini.
- AFP/ir
Channel News Asia
08/02/09
A new leader from the Barisan Nasional coalition for Perak state was sworn in on Friday, triggering a demonstration by some 3,000 opposition supporters who were teargassed by police.
But Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, who for the past year has served as the state's chief minister for the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance, insisted he was still in charge and held a meeting of his "state cabinet" on Saturday.
Mohammad Nizar made announcements on several policy issues including approving extensions on leases for industrial land, and appointing local councillors.
Meanwhile, the Barisan Nasional's new chief mininster, Zambry Abdul Kadir, made his first public appearance in his role, at a Lunar New Year function in the state which has a large ethnic Chinese community.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak defended the Barisan Nasional's power grab in Perak, after four lawmakers defected from the Pakatan Rakyat, which won control in general elections a year ago.
He said his coalition, which rules nationally, was only using tactics favoured by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who last year attempted to seize control of parliament with the help of defectors.
"Please ask Pakatan Rakyat why they started this," he said, according to the state news agency Bernama. "This is the principle that they mentioned, that they accepted and tried to put into practice."
Rafidah Aziz, who heads the ruling party's women's wing, called for action to punish the opposition for defying Perak's sultan, who last week told Mohammad Nizar and his executive council to stand down.
"It is clear that they refused to accept and respect the decision of the sultan, who acted in accordance with the state constitution," she said, according to Bernama.
Monday is a public holiday in Malaysia but it appears both "chief ministers" are intent on arriving at work on Tuesday, despite Mohammad Nizar being escorted from the building last week.
"Usually, I arrive early. We'll be having a race to see who reaches there first," Mohammad Nizar joked at a press conference on Saturday, according to the news website Malaysiakini.
- AFP/ir
Channel News Asia
08/02/09
1 comment:
blog kamu ni orang bodoh aje baca. tak ada kualiti
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