26 Safar 1431H
Wong Choon Mei
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9: Deposed Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin has urged the Perak people to remain calm and not be tricked by agent provocateurs into rash reactions following a questionable Federal Court ruling that has been lambasted by legal experts and civil society groups as unjust and politically weighted.
“Perak Pakatan Rakyat will hold a meeting tonight. On the surface, things look normal but in the constituencies, there is a lot of unhappiness and frustration,” Nizar told Harakahdaily in an interview.
“You can call it cynical but like most Malaysians, Perakians did not really expect a fair call from the judges given their track record of favouring the Umno-BN throughout the entire power grab. But it doesn’t mean the people like it, it doesn’t mean they are not angry.”
Roadshow to explain court decision
Nizar’s team commands 28 seats in the state legislative assembly, the same number as Umno. But they were toppled after Prime Minister Najib Razak lured three Independents to declare their allegiance to his Umno-BN in February 2009.
However, a poll released last week showed that one year hence, the unpopularity of Najib’s coup d’etat still burns deep in the hearts of the state’s 2 million-odd population. In fact, 74 percent of the survey said they wanted snap elections to decide their own leaders.
“We have to be patient. We have to rise above evil acts and not allow ourselves be overcome by a few bad judgments,” said Nizar.
“Pakatan will continue the democracy expedition we began two weeks ago. We will go to the length and breadth of the state and explain to the citizenry what happened today, why did the court let them down and what the Pakatan can do and will do next to protect them in as much as it can.”
No judicial review, hopes for by-elections
Malaysia’s apex court ruled 5-0 in favour of Pangkor MP Zambry Kadir, in a decision that experts warn will open the floodgates further for future constitutional crises. But Nizar has decided not to file for a judicial review to put on record his dissatisfaction and the injustice inherent in the ruling.
According to him, this does not mean Pakatan is surrendering, but rather, it has now opted to focus its energies on a possible slate of by-elections, which could also re-determine who governs Perak.
“What is the point? If at this stage they can close their eyes to what is clearly stated in the federal and state constitutions, why would they stop at the judicial review stage? You see, Najib cannot be perceived to have committed a wrong, neither can the Sultan. And for that they are willing to turn the law of the land topsy-turvy,” Nizar said.
“But I urge Perak people not to be disheartened. At the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, there is still Speaker V Sivakumar’s case against the Election Commission, and in Ipoh, there is the legal suit against the two Independents. So even if there are no snap elections, we may still have by-elections that can re-determine the state government.”
Nizar also promised his team would not be cowed by the Umno-BN just because the ruling went against them. They would continue to function as a parallel government until Pakatan was restored as the rightful state government, he stressed.
“We will remain the eyes and ears for the people. It does not matter if Zambry tries to limit our power, we will somehow find a way to let the whole of Perak know what they are up to,” Nizar said.
Not just Perak damaged, but the whole of Malaysia
Nizar, who shot to national prominence with his steady demeanor and humble ways, warned of ripple effects throughout the nation and structural damage to the country’s image, economic and political systems.
“There will be a legal impact, a legal cost to our justice system. Economic confidence in the country will also be knocked. To the people in this country and overseas, it is like Malaysia is no longer the friendly and warm country they used to know,” he said.
“Indeed it is transforming – from a regimented democracy into an autocracy, a regime like Myanmar’s junta. This is the political impact, and therefore, there will be far-reaching political consequences that Najib and Umno have to bear for ignoring the people’s wishes.”
Nizar also does not expect any surprises from Zambry, including hearing the people and voluntarily dissolving the state assembly.
“Why should he? Let’s face it. Zambry is just an order taker. It is Najib who will make the decision and politically, Najib is just too weak to do the right thing by the country. He needs to cling to power - not just in Perak but also to his PM post and most immediately as the president of Umno," Nizar said.
“To do that, he has to show Umno he is willing to do anything to keep it in power. So it is his party which is leading him, not he who is leading the party. But by doing this, by not placing principles first or the country ahead of their own selfish, vested interest - they will lose Malaysia come the next general election.”
Harakahdaily.net/-
Wong Choon Mei
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9: Deposed Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin has urged the Perak people to remain calm and not be tricked by agent provocateurs into rash reactions following a questionable Federal Court ruling that has been lambasted by legal experts and civil society groups as unjust and politically weighted.“Perak Pakatan Rakyat will hold a meeting tonight. On the surface, things look normal but in the constituencies, there is a lot of unhappiness and frustration,” Nizar told Harakahdaily in an interview.
“You can call it cynical but like most Malaysians, Perakians did not really expect a fair call from the judges given their track record of favouring the Umno-BN throughout the entire power grab. But it doesn’t mean the people like it, it doesn’t mean they are not angry.”
Roadshow to explain court decision
Nizar’s team commands 28 seats in the state legislative assembly, the same number as Umno. But they were toppled after Prime Minister Najib Razak lured three Independents to declare their allegiance to his Umno-BN in February 2009.
However, a poll released last week showed that one year hence, the unpopularity of Najib’s coup d’etat still burns deep in the hearts of the state’s 2 million-odd population. In fact, 74 percent of the survey said they wanted snap elections to decide their own leaders.
“We have to be patient. We have to rise above evil acts and not allow ourselves be overcome by a few bad judgments,” said Nizar.
“Pakatan will continue the democracy expedition we began two weeks ago. We will go to the length and breadth of the state and explain to the citizenry what happened today, why did the court let them down and what the Pakatan can do and will do next to protect them in as much as it can.”
No judicial review, hopes for by-elections
Malaysia’s apex court ruled 5-0 in favour of Pangkor MP Zambry Kadir, in a decision that experts warn will open the floodgates further for future constitutional crises. But Nizar has decided not to file for a judicial review to put on record his dissatisfaction and the injustice inherent in the ruling.
According to him, this does not mean Pakatan is surrendering, but rather, it has now opted to focus its energies on a possible slate of by-elections, which could also re-determine who governs Perak.
“What is the point? If at this stage they can close their eyes to what is clearly stated in the federal and state constitutions, why would they stop at the judicial review stage? You see, Najib cannot be perceived to have committed a wrong, neither can the Sultan. And for that they are willing to turn the law of the land topsy-turvy,” Nizar said.
“But I urge Perak people not to be disheartened. At the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, there is still Speaker V Sivakumar’s case against the Election Commission, and in Ipoh, there is the legal suit against the two Independents. So even if there are no snap elections, we may still have by-elections that can re-determine the state government.”
Nizar also promised his team would not be cowed by the Umno-BN just because the ruling went against them. They would continue to function as a parallel government until Pakatan was restored as the rightful state government, he stressed.
“We will remain the eyes and ears for the people. It does not matter if Zambry tries to limit our power, we will somehow find a way to let the whole of Perak know what they are up to,” Nizar said.
Not just Perak damaged, but the whole of Malaysia
Nizar, who shot to national prominence with his steady demeanor and humble ways, warned of ripple effects throughout the nation and structural damage to the country’s image, economic and political systems.
“There will be a legal impact, a legal cost to our justice system. Economic confidence in the country will also be knocked. To the people in this country and overseas, it is like Malaysia is no longer the friendly and warm country they used to know,” he said.
“Indeed it is transforming – from a regimented democracy into an autocracy, a regime like Myanmar’s junta. This is the political impact, and therefore, there will be far-reaching political consequences that Najib and Umno have to bear for ignoring the people’s wishes.”
Nizar also does not expect any surprises from Zambry, including hearing the people and voluntarily dissolving the state assembly.
“Why should he? Let’s face it. Zambry is just an order taker. It is Najib who will make the decision and politically, Najib is just too weak to do the right thing by the country. He needs to cling to power - not just in Perak but also to his PM post and most immediately as the president of Umno," Nizar said.
“To do that, he has to show Umno he is willing to do anything to keep it in power. So it is his party which is leading him, not he who is leading the party. But by doing this, by not placing principles first or the country ahead of their own selfish, vested interest - they will lose Malaysia come the next general election.”
Harakahdaily.net/-
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