Perak assembly to sit May 7

IPOH: It is set. The Perak state assembly will sit from May 7.

In confirming the news, state Health, Local Government, Consumer Affairs, Environment, Public Transportation and Non-Islamic Affairs committee chairman Dr Mah Hang Soon said his office received the letter, which was signed by assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri at 1pm Friday.

“The letter did not state how many days the House will sit except that it will meet from May 7,” he said when contacted by The Star here.

Asked whether sitting arrangements were enclosed in the letter, Dr Mah said it was a normal letter with no other attachments.

Meanwhile, Pantai Remis assemblyman Nga Kor Ming, when contacted, slammed the setting of the date, which was done without the consent and knowledge of Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar.

“This is the first time in history that the setting of state assembly sitting date was done without the speaker being informed,” he said, adding that Abdullah Antong’s letter was hand delivered to Wisma DAP here at 11am Friday.

Nga, who was former Pakatan Rakyat state exco member, questioned the setting of the assembly sitting date when the case of former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin challenging the appointment of present Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir was still pending at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

“In fact, the judge has fixed May 5 and 6 as the hearing date.

“Barisan Nasional should have waited until the outcome of the case before deciding on the sitting date,” he added.

Dr Zambry was quoted to have said Friday that the notice to convene the State Assembly would be issued to all representatives by next week.

He was also quoted to have said that according to the assembly regulations, a sitting must convene within six months of the last session in November 2008.

Nizar was quoted to have said last Tuesday that he expected a tussle for the Mentri Besar's seat during the assembly.

He said he should still occupy the Mentri Besar's chair as Pakatan Rakyat was still the legitimate government.