Trouble makers feeling the heat

Pakatan readies legal team in case Selangor MB issue goes to court

Taking a lesson from the Perak constitutional crisis, Pakatan Rakyat today decided to set up a legal team to represent and safeguard the coalition's interest if the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis was taken to court. PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic) said the coalition wanted to avoid a repeat of the 2009 crisis that...

a lesson from the Perak constitutional crisis, Pakatan Rakyat today decided to set up a legal team to represent and safeguard the coalition's interest if the Selangor Menteri Besar crisis was taken to court.

PKR secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic) said the coalition wanted to avoid a repeat of the 2009 crisis that ended with Pakatan losing a state to Barisan Nasional.

He said the decision to form the legal team was made during the pre-presidential meeting at Empire Hotel this evening before the leaders retreated to another room for a full meeting to discuss the menteri besar crisis.

He said the team, comprising three legal counsels appointed by each parties, was tasked with looking into the legality of the issue and development of the crisis.

The trio were Asmuni Awi (PAS), R. Sivarasa (PKR) and Gobind Singh Deo (DAP).

"We were briefed about the Perak crisis and the leaders decided to form a legal team to prepare ourselves in case the issue is taken to court," said Saifuddin.

The 2009 Perak constitutional crisis was a political dispute in Malaysia over the legitimacy of the state government formed in February 2009. It began when three Pakatan Rakyat state legislators defected, causing a collapse of the state government.

The Sultan of Perak then refused Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin's request to dissolve the state assembly and call for state election. Instead, BN, with support from the three defecting assemblymen, formed the new state government with Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir as the new menteri besar.

Saifuddin said he was glad that both meetings today between the PR leaders went on smoothly and calm.

"PKR respected PAS decision to name two candidates for the MB post but (PKR deputy president) Azmin Ali decided to stick to his party's decision, which was made in July, to appoint Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail," said Saifuddin.

He said PAS accepted Azmin's decision.

"It was a unanimous decision," added Saifuddin.

He said the discussions went on smoothly between all the party leaders from 5.45pm to 7pm.

A press conference was held soon after where PKR supremo Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the decision to name Dr Wan Azizah as the only candidate to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as the new Selangor menteri besar. – August 17, 2014.