By Lee Wei Lian (Malaysian Insider)
KUALA LUMPUR, May 11 – Backed by this afternoon’s Kuala Lumpur High Court decision that declared their man as the rightful mentri besar of Perak, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders today reiterated their calls that the state assembly be dissolved and state elections held in order to end the ongoing political crisis in Perak, now in its fourth month.
PR leaders said that they will not cling to power despite the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling in their favour but will still seek state elections instead.
“Dissolving the assembly will allow the people to determine a government who has their mandate and their trust,” said Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his blog this evening.
Anwar also noted that the validity of the assembly sitting under the tree in March should be recognised where three resolutions were passed, including a resolution to dissolve the state assembly.
DAP secretary general Lim Guan Eng also called of an immediate dissolution of the Perak state assembly and that an election be held.
“Only by returning power to the people can honour be returned to Perak and Malaysia,” Lim said in a media statement.
PAS secretary general Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar said that dissolving the state assembly was “the only genuine solution.”
“The mess created by Barisan Nasional is beyond repair except through a dissolution of the state assembly,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
When asked about the possibility of BN convening an emergency assembly sitting to move a motion of no confidence against Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin, Kamarudin replied: “That is not going to solve the issue.”
The Sultan of Perak had sworn in Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir as the new mentri besar in February after requesting that Nizar resign.
Judge Datuk Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahim said in his ruling today however, that the only way the mentri besar can be removed is through a vote of no-confidence that must be taken in the state legislative assembly.
The judge also ordered Zambry and his six executive councillors to vacate their offices.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told reporters this evening that BN will file an appeal tomorrow.