Political analysts in Penang believe that a fresh state election would be the best solution to resolve the political crisis in Perak, triggered by defection of three Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons.

Malaysian Voters Union co-ordinator BK Ong said Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah’s decision to allow Barisan Nasional to replace Pakatan as the new state administration in Ipoh may not be a permanent solution to the political instability in the state.

He also pointed out that preceding events prior to the Sultan’s decision did not augur well for political and democratic developments in the country.

pakatan ipoh rally 050209 banners "All political convention, virtues, traditions and practices were discarded and ripped apart by the party hopping and re-hopping by the elected representatives," he told Malaysiakini .

"BN’s takeover of the state government through the back door is unethical."

With the defections, BN and Pakatan stand equal with 28 state seats each.

Three former Pakatan assemblypersons - Jelapang assemblyperson Hee Yit Fong, Behrang assemblyperson Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Changkat Jering state representative Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu - have declared themselves independent assemblypersons who are ‘BN friendly’.

To add more spice to the political drama, Bota assemblyperson Nasarudin Hashim who last week hopped from Umno to PKR, has rejoined BN.

Aliran executive member Anil Netto cautioned that the swearing in of the new BN government would only be a temporary ‘ceasefire’ in the political conflict between both sets of political entities in Perak.

Since BN will only lead Pakatan with a razor thin majority with the help of independent representatives, he said the new state government will not be stable.

"The new state government can also fall at any time. Thus a fresh state election will be the best answer," he said.

Voice of the people silenced

In a random survey carried out on Netto’s blog, 78 percent of Malaysians, mostly from Perak, demanded for fresh state elections.

perak bn takeover 050209 04 "The public supports fresh elections. The people’s wishes must not be sidestepped," he said.

Ong said the latest political episode demonstrated yet again the growing influence of monarchs in the decision making process in the country’s democratic system.

"Since the general election last March, the country’s monarchs have taken an active unprecedented role in making vital decisions in the country.

"It’s hoped that their decisions will reflect political convention and public wishes," said Ong.

Universiti Sains Malaysia senior lecturer Dr Sivamurugan Pandian questioned the BN government’s fragile stability and suggested that the only way the new state administration could gain strength was by new defections from Pakatan.

"Otherwise it will not be a stable or permanent government," he said, adding that all politicians in Perak should now stop the political war and focus on more important issues like the global economic crisis.

"Instead of politicking, both political coalitions should emphasis on working together for the betterment of the nation and people," he stressed.