Time for the people to decide

PRESS RELEASE

Time for the people to decide

The Kuala Lumpur High Court has today declared that Datuk Seri Mohammed Nizar Jamaluddin is still the rightful Menteri Besar of Perak. His Lordship Datuk Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim ruled that the Menteri Besar can only be dismissed by a no-confidence motion in the State Legislative Assembly. In the case of the purported dismissal of Datuk Seri Mohammed Nizar Jamaluddin, there was no such motion of no-confidence passed in the State Legislative Assembly.

No doubt Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir will now appeal this decision to the Court of Appeal, and further legal arguments will be advanced. Whichever side that loses at the Court of Appeal will then appeal to the Federal Court. The issue will go on and on. Each round of legal battles promises finality but fails to deliver it. Time moves on, and the business of running the State Government continues to be sidelined.

The answer ultimately does not lie in the courts. The Malaysian Bar once again reiterates its position that the time has come for all concerned to acknowledge the writing on the wall. Both sides of the political divide must now realise that power has to be returned to where it rightly belongs – in the hands of the people, the electorate of the State of Perak. Let them cease all further jostling and manoeuvring for political power. Let them exhibit statesmanship. Let them once again seek the mandate of the people. And let the people decide.

Ragunath Kesavan
President
Malaysian Bar

11 May 2009