Kelantan MB: Let the Perak people decide

Fresh elections must be called for in Perak to settle the on-going political imbroglio and those who reject it “do not deserve to be on the face of the earth”.

These were the words of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat at a press conference in Kelantan this morning.

Stressing that it is the only way out of three months of chaos in Perak, the Kelantan menteri besar said that power should be given back to the “judge” - the people, not judges in the courts.

“I have been saying this for a long time and so has the legitimate menteri besar (referring to Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin) ... the people are the ones should be the judge to decide on who deserves to be in the state assembly.

“Menteris besar including myself are chosen by the people and not the judges from the courts. But now it is getting strange. How can the judge choose who should be the menteri besar? This shouldn’t have happened."

Nik Aziz, who has been the Kelantan menteri besar for 19 years, said this in response to Barisan Nasional’s move to appeal the High Court’s decision which had ruled that PAS’ Nizar is the legitimate menteri besar.

Nevertheless, the victory was short-lived because BN menteri besar Zambry Abdul Kadir obtained a stay order against the decision, pending his appeal to the Court of Appeal. No date has been fixed to hear the appeal.

Zambry then moved back into the state secretariat to replace Nizar as the menteri besar this morning.

“This is such a humiliation to the people and democracy. I have been telling them to hold a fresh election but they are very stubborn. They do not deserve to be on the face of the earth,” said Nik Aziz to applause.

'Up to sultan'

Pakatan has sought to call fresh elections since the political crisis began in early February following three defections of Pakatan assemblypersons who became BN-friendly Independents.

However, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, has argued that fresh elections are under the purview of the sultan of Perak.

Najib also reiterated the BN’s stand on the Perak crisis, saying that the coalition would follow the proper process of law in taking control of the state.

But his views has received different responses from some members of BN’s component parties, some of which agree with the opposition’s demand for fresh polls.

In his blog yesterday, MCA deputy president Dr Chua Soi Lek noted that fresh elections are the best remedy compared to the courts and the state assembly.

Echoing the view, Gerakan secretary-general Teng Chang Yeow called on the BN leadership to "explore and seek political solutions rather than pursuing legal recourse only".

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, an Umno veteran leader and Gua Musang parliamentarian, said he hoped that the sultan would agree to Nizar’s request to dissolve the assembly so that elections can be called.