Zambry to move motion to sack speaker

Perak's Barisan Nasional Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir will be moving a motion to remove speaker V Sivakumar when the assembly convenes on May 7.

The motion was seconded by Umno's elected representative for Sungai Rapat and state exco member Hamidah Othman.

All elected representatives were informed of this motion through a letter dated April 27 and they were told to submit their nominee for the post to replace Sivakumar by April 30.

The letter was signed by assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri.

Malaysiakini obtained a copy of the letter today and received confirmation that Pakatan Rakyat state representatives have also received this letter.

One of them, DAP's Tebing Tinggi representative Ong Boon Piow told Malaysiakini that he received the letter through courier at 2pm today.

A form to name a replacement candidate was also attached with the letter.

Zambry's motion was lodged at the assembly secretary's office last Thursday.

An expected move from Zambry

The move to replace Sivakumar was largely expected although Zambry had been coy about it until now.

When he was asked by Malaysiakini in a recent interview if he would be moving for such a motion to remove Sivakumar, Zambry said all questions on that were hypothetical and just speculations .

"Wait and see," was his often repeated mantra on that matter.

The removal of Sivakumar is important for the state Barisan Nasional to administer the state smoothly.

At present Sivakumar, who is from DAP, has been the linchpin in ensuring ousted Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin and his exco members are in control of the state assembly.

His decision to suspend Zambry for 18 months and his exco members for 12 months was recently overturned by the Federal Court, allowing Zambry and his elected representatives - with the assistance of the independent representatives - to have sufficient numbers in the House.

The Federal Court has also set aside Sivakumar's decision to declare vacant the state seats of the three defected Pakatan state assemblypersons. One of the defected elected representatives included the deputy speaker Hee Yit Foog.

The speaker has been the trump card for Pakatan ever since Sultan of Perak appointed Zambry as menteri besar to replace Mohammad Nizar.

All Pakatan decisions to thwart Zambry from assuming the post has come through Sivakumar in the assembly.

With his removal, BN will be able to cut off the power that has enabled Pakatan and Mohammad Nizar to continue disputing Zambry's legitimacy as the menteri besar.

Up to speaker to accept or reject

When contacted Pakatan representatives questioned the legitimacy of the letter announcing the motion as it was signed by an assembly secretary who had been suspended by Sivakumar for insubordination.

This was in respect of Abdullah's decision to issue a notice calling for the sitting of the assembly on May 7.

However, Zambry had said that the suspension was ineffective as Abdullah was a civil servant and Sivakumar had no powers to suspend him.

Pantai Remis state representative Nga Kor Ming told Malaysiakini when contacted that he was shocked with the notice of motion to remove Sivakumar.

"This is unusual and will be the first time such a move has been done in Malaysia," he said.

He also condemned BN for using the suspended Abdullah to issue the letter to announce the motion.

"This shows that they (BN) can do whatever they want," he said.

He however pointed out that the speaker has the right to reject or accept any motion, including this one.

He said that there was a recent example of this in Malacca when the house speaker last week rejected a motion filed by DAP against him (the speaker).

"We will let the speaker decide on the motion," he said.

He also said that Zambry was acting in contempt of the High Court as there was a pending matter before the court on the legitimacy of his position as the menteri besar.

The High Court is due to hear the matter on May 4 and 5.

See letter on motion to sack speaker