The amendment to Perak’s constitution does not require the approval of a two-thirds majority, said state assembly speaker R Ganesan, as the amendment was not a major one.

He was referring to the furore raised by the opposition members on Dec 3 claiming that Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir had moved to amend the state’s constitution without a two-thirds majority of the assembly.

NONE “In this case (there is) not a need to go for an enactment of a bill as the amendment was on the composition of the Dewan Negara membership,” said Ganesan ( right ).

The amendment was to accommodate four more Raja Yang Bergelar with the titles Raja Kechil Besar, Raja Kechil Sulong, Raja Kechil Tengah and Raja Kechil Bongsu into the Upper House of the state assembly.

“It is in the (state) constitution (where in) Article 3(a) states that we need not bring a bill to the Dewan Negeri and (the amendment) can be moved by other means.

“When I chaired the assembly, I called the legal adviser who is also a member of the Dewan Negeri to give an explanation,” Ganesan, who is the fomer Sungkai assemblyperson, told Malaysiakini.

Asked about whether there would be financial implications on the state and whether the members of the royal family who were included will be accorded allowances, he said:

“By virtue of being the Raja Kechil Besar, Raja Kechil Sulong, Raja Kechil Tengah and Raja Kechil Bongsu  and so on, the stipulated sum is already there - they are already part of the system... there isn’t anything extra.”

‘Too small an amendment’

“This matter is too small and it’s not a major change to the constitution,” he said in response to arguments that an enactment of the state legislature must be tabled to amend the constitution.

An enactment as such would require several readings in the state assembly before an approval is sought from at least two-thirds of its members.

In Perak, BN has 28 assemblypersons and the ruling government is also supported by four Independents.

The opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, has 27 state assemblypersons following the defection by three of assembly representatives - Hee Yit Foong, Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi and Osman Jailu - in 2009, and the Pakatan state government was then overthrown.