Zambry seeks to remedy situation, claims speaker was lying

IPOH, Feb 18 | Malaysianinsider

Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said he and the six executive council members will take “follow-up” actions following their suspensions by the state legislative assembly’s Rights and Privileges Committee.

He declined to say what the actions would be but said that the suspensions were made “in total disregard to the power of the Sultan of Perak to appoint the Menteri Besar and the executive council.”

The committee also barred Zambry and his executive council from attending the state legislative assembly for 18 months and 12 months respectively, effective today.

All of them were summoned to appear before the Rights and Privileges Committee following complaints by DAP assemblyman for Canning, Wong Kah Woh, who claimed that their appointment to their respective posts contravened the state constitution, and in contempt of the assembly because the 10th Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had not officially resigned.

Speaker V. Sivakumar who announced the suspension, said Zambry and his executive council failed to offer any explanation pertaining to their actions.

When contacted by Bernama tonight, Zambry said, Sivakumar’s statement was “a serious lie”.

“His claim that we have failed to offer any explanation is a lie of the most serious nature ever committed by a speaker,” he said, adding that the speaker should have raised the matter during a state legislative assembly sitting and not acted “according to his whims and fancies”.

Zambry added that he and the executive councillors had stated their positions and raised preliminary objections to the charges brought against them.

He also said that their suspensions would also be subjudice as there was still a suit pending in the High Court challenging his appointment as the menteri besar. — Bernama