Dissolve to end Perak's double vision

Seven months after the Perak takeover, the ousted Pakatan Rakyat state government once again tried to stamp its legitimacy by convening the state assembly.

The last assembly was held on March 3, which is popularly referred to as the 'tree assembly'. Since the state constitution stipulates that the house must meet every six months, a new meeting was held this morning.

Pakatan's attempt to hold a meeting in the state assembly hall however was marred by a fracas with the police, which led to seven arrests, including three state reps. Scores of yellow-clad Barisan Nasional supporters added more spice.

Eventually, the assembly was convened at the nearby Heritage Hotel, complete with horse-shoe seating arrangements, an elevated speaker's chair and emotionally-charged debates from.

Ousted Menteri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin said the scenes today was the result of the protracted constitutional crisis, which is threatening to destabilise the silver state.

According to him, the only solution was to dissolve the assembly and hold fresh polls

"That is the only sure remedy for the crisis. You realise that there are two state assemblies. Everything is doubled," he told reporters after the 'hotel sitting'.

Perak was plunged into a constitutional crisis after three Pakatan reps declared themselves as BN friendly independents, leading to the state government’s downfall.

Pakatan has maintained that the power grab was unconstitutional and thus illegal. They have refused to give up their claim to be the legitimate government.

'Brutality in the month of Ramadan'

Nizar also slammed the police for stopping them from entering the state secretariat building and for their highhanded tactics.

"You can see how the doctrine of separation of powers has been violated by the police and civil servants, particularly the state secretary... the executive has interfered with the legislative," he said.

Acknowledging that the court order obtained by the police had barred orang awam ( the public) from being within a 30m radius of the state secretariat building, it cannot apply to elected reps.

On the fracas, Nizar said: "Brutality in the month of Ramadan."

He said Pakatan would study video recordings of the arrests which resulted in injuries before contemplating legal action.

According to a DAP spokesperson, the party's Malim Nawar assemblyperson Keshwinder Singh had sustained a concussion and hairline fractures to his temple during the melee. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Ipoh general hospital.

On the group of BN supporters in yellow, Nizar called the group samseng (hoodlums) and that they appeared to be working hand-in-hand with the police.

"They were allowed to gather next to the police at a distance much nearer (to the state secretariat building) than where we were... if they are fair, they would not allow this to happen.

"They gathered without a permit and they were fully prepared with banners," he lamented.

In another development, Nanyang Siang Pau photographer Stanley Tan who was arrested during the fracas has lodged a report against the police for alleged assault. He was accompanied by the daily's management.

Tan claimed that a police personnel had pulled his bag, prompting him to turn around and reprimand the officer. This, allegedly earned him a kick before being arrested.

Tan and six others who were arrested, including three Pakatan state reps, were freed at about 3pm from the Sungai Senam police station.