Perak in turmoil

picture taken from malaysian insider

Earlier this afternoon, Zambry was sworn-in as the new Perak menteri besar by Sultan Azlan Shah, soon after police fired tear gas and charged at more than 5,000 Pakatan Rakyat (PR) supporters outside Istana Iskandariah here.

There was little joy on the streets of this royal town after riot police broke up the large crowd of protesters marching towards the palace after Friday prayers to show their support for Nizar, the man whom they feel is still the legitimate menteri besar.
Riot police charged at the crowd and at one point a pitched battle was being fought between the two sides.

The police fired round after round of tear gas, injuring scores including a ten-year-old boy who fainted, as a convoy of vehicles carrying Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders including deputy Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak, were trying to enter the palace grounds.
Most of the crowd eventually dispersed all over the picturesque Bukit Chandan, where the palace and Ubudiah mosque are located in this royal town, after riot police continued charging at them for half an hour.

The situation remained tense outside the palace as the swearing-in ceremony was taking place, with several hundred protesters refusing to budge. Many others stayed inside the mosque.
The crowd had earlier joined Nizar for prayers at the Ubudiah mosque while preparations were ongoing for the swearing-in of Zambry.

There was a standoff between riot police and supporters, amid chants of “Reformasi” and “Allahuakbar”. After failing to heed orders to disperse, police charged the crowd, some of whom ran back to the mosque to seek refuge. Some protestors were seen throwing bottles and other objects at the police.

a disaster to the democratic system

MalaysianInsider

IPOH, Feb 5 — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Perak Menteri Besar’s refusal to resign despite the request by Sultan Azlan Shah did not mean Pakatan Rakyat was on a collision course with the Perak palace.
“Considering the spirit of constitutional monarchy and Parliamentary democracy, this takover if allowed will be a disaster to the democratic system,” Anwar told reporters after a meeting with PR leaders.
He added that only a dissolution of the state assembly and a state-wide election would solve the problem.
On the order by the state secretariat for the leaders to vacate the building, Anwar described the action as abnormal.
“The MB has not resigned, has not been dismissed. It is abnormal under the so-called democratic system,” he added.
DAP’s Lim Kit Siang described the takeover attempt by BN as a coup led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“A month before Najib becomes the sixth Prime Minister, but today he has launched a coup de etat,” said Lim adding that Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin was still the Menteri Besar.
“The PR government is still legitimate. This takeover is illegal and unconstitutional,” said the Ipoh Timor MP.
Earlier today Nizar was ordered to resign by the ruler as he was deemed to have lost the support of the majority of the state’s lawmakers.
The government has however refused to step down saying that BN has no majority in the assembly, claiming that the three independents who back the coalition have resigned as legislators.

WILL NEVER FORGET AND WILL NEVER FORGIVE

WE the people will never forget you.
WE the people will never forgive you.
WE the people will forever remember your betrayal.