The Perak Dewan Negara today delivered a harsh rebuke to some members of the State Assembly for the way they had dressed , which showed their total disregard for the ceremonial dress code, during the opening of the first meeting of the third term of the 13th Perak state assembly on March 31.

Its secretary, Ayob Hashim, said the rebuke was one of three resolutions made at the 163rd meeting of the Dewan Negara chaired by the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, yesterday.

"Members of Perak Dewan Negara hereby remind those assemblymen that in the state of Perak, the Sultan has consented that, annually, there will be two occasions categorised as special and to be honoured as a ceremonial dress day, referred as 'Hari Kalung'.

"First, the birthday celebration of the state ruler, where the ceremony is held in the Balairung Seri Istana Iskandariah, and second, the opening of the State Assembly meeting at the State Legislative Assembly Hall," he said in a statement today.

He said this proved that the sultan of Perak recognised and gave high regards to the institution of the people as symbolised by the state assembly.

    

Ayob said the Perak Dewan Negara stressed that the act of those assemblypersons was not only a violation of protocol, but also reflected their total disregard for the state assembly, which they represented, and the head of the state.

Stern action

"Members of the Dewan Negara hereby agree and propose to the Sultan to take stern action against those who chose not to comply and respect the protocol of an official ceremony in the future.

"The decision of the Dewan Negara will be conveyed formally to the state government," he said.

Ayob said during the meeting, the Dewan Negara also congratulated Sultan Nazrin Shah on the invitation of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who had sought the consent of the Sultan to take responsibility to co-chair the United Nations High Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing, through a letter dated March 30.

All members of the Dewan Negara also described the invitation as not only the highest recognition accorded to Sultan Nazrin Shah on a personal basis but also an honour to the people and the state of Perak generally, he said.

Apart from that, he said the Dewan Negara was informed that Sultan Nazrin Shah had consented to the appointment of former education director-general Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin as non-official member of the Dewan Negara, effective April 17.

- Bernama