Saturday, February 28, 2009

Of Perak : 3rd March...what if...


For the time being, Perak politics never cease to amaze me...Perak speaker V. Sivakumar called for an emergency state assembly meeting this coming 3rd March 2009.

Whether the state assembly sitting can proceed as schedule is yet to be seen. So, let's see the probable scenario. Here goes...

1. The state assembly sitting proceeds as scheduled, MB Nizar gets his vote of confidence;

2. All ex-officio EXCO (State Secretary, Legal Adviser, State Financial Officer) did not attend the sitting, MB Nizar gets his vote of confidence;

3. State Secretary instructed the door to the State Assembly locked, Speaker conduct the sitting at different venue, MB Nizar gets his vote of confidence;

4. MB Zambry and his EXCO attempts to attend the assembly but is escorted out by the Sergeant of Arms, MB Nizar gets his vote of confidence;

5. MB Zambry seeks court order to block the assembly sitting, court decision can go either way;

6. BN seeks court order to block the assembly, citing that speaker decision to call for emergency assembly sitting is unconstitutional, court decision can go either way;

7. HRH Perak ruler replied and agreed to Speaker's request for emergency assembly sitting; MB Nizar gets his vote of confidence;

8. HRH Perak ruler replied and disagreed to speaker's request for emergency sitting, assembly did not convene;

9. MB Zambry seeks court order to declare speaker's decision to suspend him and his EXCO is unconstitutional, assembly did not convene;

10. Rowdy illegal assembly forcing the assembly to be postphoned;

11. Rowdy illegal assembly, forcing the state to be declared under MAGERAN, state wide assembly to be called at later date;

12. Speaker failed to chair the assembly, assembly did not convene;

13. Speaker overturn his suspension on MB Zambry and his EXCO, MB Nizar failed to get his vote of confidence;

14. Speaker arrested on orders by Federal government, assembly did not convene;

15. None of the above...:)

Of course, there might be other possible scenarios which may escape the lists above. And some might be too "sensitive" to be openly discussed in this open domain...

If this is not enough, Perak PAC (Public Accounts Committee) summons both MB Nizar and MB Zambry on 5th March in their effort to determine who and whose EXCOs' should be paid the MB's salary and EXCOs' perks.

Can we safely assume that the legal experts out there are also brainstorming on the possible scenarios? We don't need QCs' to speculate, do we?

One word of advice. Walls have ears...and by today's standards, walls can read and write too...

And that, my friends, make 3rd March 2009, worth waiting...for now. Breaking off for Saturday night out.

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dari Prof Madya Dr Abdul Rani Bin Kamarudin
Pensyarah Undang2 IIUM

Komen saya terhadap rancangan “Hujah, NTV9” pada 9.30 – 10.30 malam siaran langsung dari UiTM – “Krisis Perak” pada 31b Mac 2009

Ahli2 panel akur (concede) bahawa adalah hak Baginda Sultan mengikut kewajarannya (budibicaranya) untuk atau tidak membubarkan DUN Perak.

Prof Dr Shad Faruqi tidak menolak bahawa adanya ruang (secara implikasi) dibawah Fasal 16(6) Undang2 Tubuh Negeri Perak bahawasanya jika permintaan MB untuk DUN dibubarkan tidak diperkenankan, MB berserta EXCOnya hendaklah meletakkan jawatan. Namun disini Prof Shad tidak memberikan jawapan nyata (express) bagaimana jika MB Dato Seri Nizar enggan berbuat demikian. Pada pandangan saya (Dr Abd Rani), jika Dato Seri Md Nizar engganpun, itu tidak relevan kerana akan dianggap sebagai sudah meletakkan jawatan (mahu atau tidak). Hanya selepas itulah MB dan exco baru dilantik Baginda Sultan.

Sebab Dato Seri Nizar memohon DUN dibubar tidak lain dan tidak bukan bahawa beliau sendiri akur (conceded) sudah kehilangan majoriti ADUN2 dan beliau pun tidak sekali-kali mohon kepada Sultan sidang diadakan bagi menentukan sejauh mana undi tidak percaya terhadapnya itu betul. Maka bila Dato Seri Md Nizar memohon DUN dibubar, padahnya adalah beliau dan exconya (Majlis Eksekutif) shall tender resignation jika permohonan untuk membubarkan DUN tidak diperkenankan Sultan.

Justeru, untuk kemudiannya mengesyorkan DUN dibubar sebagai jalan terbaik adalah merupakan langkah terkebelakang setelah akur bahawa sememangnya Baginda Sultan mempunyai budibicara untuk atau tidak membubarkan DUN.
Bubarkan DUN bukan lagi suatu opsyen setelah Baginda Sultan membuat keputusannya (res judicata) kerana itu ibarat tidak menghormati dan mengingkari keputusan Baginda Sultan.

Pandang Prof Dr Shad yang mengatakan bahawa dalam kes Stephen Kalongningkan DUN sememangnya “masih bersidang” sedangkan diPerak sudah ditangguhkan tanpa tarikh ditetapkan sekian lama (adjourn sine dine) perbezaan itu pada saya (DrAbdul Rani) tidak membawa apa-apa makna yang kuat. Fasal 16(6) tidak menetapkan sokongan majoriti ADUN2 hendaklah (shall) diraih dalam sidang DUN. Maka penentuan Sultan diistannya bahawa sokongan majoriti sudah berpihak kepada BN adalah tidak salah disegi undang2. Bahawa adalah lebih baik sokongan majoriti ADUN2 dibuat semasa sidang DUN samalah seperti elok sembahyang dimasjid berjemaah berbanding sembahyang sendiri dirumah. Ataupun memberikan pengajaran (lecture) didalam kelas berbanding di padang rumput - namun sah tetap sah. Lagipun Dato Seri Nizar sudah akur (concede) beliau tidak ada lagi majoriti dan minta DUN dibubar. Fakta ini tidak lagi perlu dipertikaikan (not a fact in issue - agreed fact).

Berkenaan Fasal XXXVI (1) Undang2 Tubuh Negeri Perak jelas bahawa Sultan mempunyai kuasa dan hanya bertanggungjawab mengadakan paling tidak satu sidang setiap 6 bulan - tempoh ini pun belum tamat dan akan hanya tamat mengikut kata panel2 itu - 15 Mei 2009.

Perkara XXXVI (1) Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Perak Darul Ridzuan memperuntuk “DYMM hendaklah dari semasa ke semasa memanggil bersidang Dewan Negeri itu dan tidaklah boleh membiarkan tempoh enam bulan berlalu di antara perjumpaan yang akhir lepas dalam satu persidangan dengan tarikh yang ditetapkan bagi perjumpaan yang pertama dalam persidangan yang di hadapan.”

Pun begitu, untuk sidang itu sah, suatu notis hendaklah diisukan oleh setiausaha DUN yang mana tidak dibuat. Notis ini adalah mandatori (wajib) sepertimana yang saya faham dari perbincangan panel2. Pun begitu,

PT 1 (Perintah Tetap DUN) yang mengatakan “maka Setiausaha Dewan hendaklah membacakan Pemasyhuran DYMM Seri Sultan Perak Darul
Ridzuan memanggil mesyuarat..”.

Maka Sultan mempunyai kata akhir (ultimate say) dan jika belum diperkenankan Sultan, jika sidang dibuat diDewan pun adalah tidak sah apatah lagi ditempat yang tidak diwartakan iaitu dibawah pokok?

“PT 10 (1) mengatakan “ Penggal Dewan hendaklah diadakan pada waktu dan tempat sebagaimana yang ditetapkan oleh DYMM Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan dari semasa ke semasa melalui perisytiharan dalam Warta,”

Fasal XXXVI (1) Undang2 Tubuh Perak memberi Sultan kata akhir (ultimate say) samada sidang DUN boleh atau tidak dibuat. Dalam hal ini, saya tidak nampak relevannya perbezaan samada sesi DUN di tangguhkan, prorogue atau sebab dibubarkan seperti mana pandangan Prof Dr Shad bahawa jika di tangguhkan perkenan Sultan tidak diperlukan lagi. Bukankah sultan mempunyai kata akhir (ultimate say, veto) dibawah Perkara XXXVI (1) Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Perak Darul Ridzuan untuk memerintah agar sidang yang ditangguhkanpun supaya tidak dibuat sehingga arahan selanjutnya dari Baginda Sultan. Tindakan “mengunci” adalah bukti Sultan tidak perkenankan sidang itu dibuat.

Indulgence (kelonggaran) Baginda Sultan tidak boleh ditakrifkan sebagai bermaksud bahawa sidang DUN boleh dibuat tanpa perkenan atau permasyuharan Bagina Sultan sepertimana terdapat dalam Undang2 Tubuh Negeri Perak

Bahawa hujah SPR adalah badan bebas dan tidak tertakluk kepada Speaker DUN dalam menentukan casual vacancy lebih kuat dan logik. Kuasa SPR sepertimana terkandung didalam Akta Pilihanraya. Speaker DUN sekadar pengaturcara/referee semasa sidang DUN, dan SPR tidak menjawab (accountable) kepada Speaker DUN. Apakah surat yang tidak bertarikh itu sah? Mengikut Mahkamah tidak. Mengapa? Dibawah undang2 kontrak pun, suatu perjanjian yang dipaksa (oppressive, undue influence dan sebagainya) adalah voidable (kesahannya boleh ditolak). Maka ADUN2 lompat itu sudah menafikan perletakkan jawatan mereka dan membatalkan surat tersebut. Lagipun mandat ADUN adalah dari rakyat (pengundi2) bukan dari parti - maka apa hak parti meminta mana2 ADUN letak jawatan jika melompat? Bukankah itu undue influence -dan dalam kontrakpun adalah voidable? Apapun, SPR bukan dibawah arahan Speaker DUN.

Lompat itu sah disisi undang2 dan dibenarkan oleh perlembagaan.

Jika parti2 politik dapat sampai kesuatu settlement, memanglah baik. Jika tidak Mahkamah adalah penyelesaian terbaik sama ada menang atau kalah. Membubarkan DUN pada saya adalah langkah kebelakang setelah Baginda Sultan membuat keputusan dan seoalah-olahnya tidak menghormati kewajaran Sultan ataupun Sultan kononya tidak menggunakan kewajarannya bila tidak perkenakan DUN dibubar.

Adakah hanya kerana 3 ADUN, Sultan dikehendakai bubar DUN? Dengan membubarkan DUN bermakna ADUN2 yang lain turut terpaksa hilang kerusi-kerusi mereka juga? Mereka-meraka ini tidak mempunyai ataupun menimbulkan apa-apa masaalahpun. Maka dimana ketidakwajaran Sultan?

Bila Pakatan Rakyat mewawarkan lompat beramai-ramai ADUN ke pihak mereka tiada pula masaalah - maka kenapa pula kerana tiga ADUNyang melompat - isu ini diperbesar-besarkan. Rakyat perlu fikir, apakah mereka berfikiran dengan baik dan wajar? Apakah mereka ini mewakili semua rakyat Malaysia atau semua rakyat Perak atau sebahagian besar/ sebahagian kecil sahaja?

Saya dah berulang-ulang kali mengatakan bahawa jika pengundi2 merasakan mereka telah ditipu dan tertipu dengan calon DUN mereka – bukankah yang “menipu” adalah calon tersebut – dimanakah salah Sultan? Adakah calon tersebut disarankan Sultan atau PKR/DAP? Siapa yang cuai dalam mencalonkan ADUN2 yang melompat tersebut? Maka siapa sebenarnya cuai - Sultankah?

Maka soal wajar DUN dibubar atau tidak, yang sudah berlalu biarlah berlalu - sekarang tugas Mahkamah menyelesaikan dan pihak2 yang menyalah guna kuasa atau menggunakan kuasa yang salah perlu dipertanggungjawabkan.

Prof Madya Dr Abdul Rani Bin Kamarudin
Pensyarah Undang2 IIUM

Anonymous said...

The Federal Court (5 judges) unanimously held (9th April 2009) that the Election Commission had the authority to determine whether there is or not a casual vacancy.

Indeed sivakumar is brave enough in thinking that he was above and over the Election Commission. (see http://jelas.info/2009/02/19/brave-sivakumar/#comment-180273)

Whether wrongly or rightly decided, these 5 Federal Court judges cannot agree with Sivakumar.

Soalan seterusnya adalah, adakah dia mengatasi Sultan pula bila menggantungkan Dato Zambri dan EXCOnya?

Prof Madya Dr Abdul Rani Bin Kamarudin
Pensyarah (Public Law Dept) IIUM

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=402996
April 09, 2009 18:23 PM
Three Independent Perak Assemblymen Keep Their Seats
PUTRAJAYA, April 9 (Bernama) -- The three independent Perak state assemblymen keep their post after the Federal Court ruled that the Eelction Commision was the rightful entity to declare vacancies in the state seat.

In a landmark decision, Court of Appeal President, Tan Sri Alauddin Mohd Sheriff, who headed a five-men bench, granted an application by the trio - Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi (Behrang), Capt (Rtd) Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) and Hee Yit Foong (Jelapang) - to declare that they were the state assemblymen for the three constituencies.

Alauddin said the bench was unanimous in its decision that the EC had the power to declare whether the seats were vacant and not the Perak State Assembly Speaker, V.Sivakumar.

Alauddin held that the interpretation of Article 36 (5) of the Perak Constitution, read together with Section 12 (3) of the Election Act 1958, meant that the EC was the rightful entity to establish if there was a casual vacancy of a state legislative assembly seat in Perak.

The other four judges who sat with him were Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Arifin Zakaria, Federal Court judges Datuk Nik Hashim Nik Ab Rahman and Datuk S. Augustine Paul and Appeals Court judge Datuk James Foong.

Yesterday, the court for the first time, decided to hear and determine the constitutional issue over who had the power to declare vacancies for the seats.

Sivakumar, who was present in court, however, declined to give any comments when asked by the media on the decision.

The three assemblymen had applied for their suit against Sivakumar to be referred to the apex court on the grounds that it involved constitutional issues.

They had originally filed the suit against Sivakumar at the High Court Ipoh seeking a declaration that they were the valid elected representatives for the three constituencies although Sivakumar had announced that the seats were vacant.

With today's decision, there is closure to the trio's suit against Sivakumar.

In February, Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman left Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to become independent assemblymen while Hee of the DAP did the same, and this led Sivakumar to declare the seats vacant on the premise that the trio had signed undated resignation letters after winning the seats in the general election held on March 8 last year.

However, EC chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusuf, later declared Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman were still assemblymen and no by-elections would be called for their seats (at this time Hee had not left the DAP yet).

At the outset, counsel Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin, for the three assemblymen, submitted that it was very clear under Article 36 (5) that the EC was to establish a casual vacancy for the seats and there was no provision under the Federal Constitution that conferred the Speaker the right to announce the vacancies.

He said the role of the Speaker was to submit resignation letters of assemblymen who quit to the EC and not to declare the seats were vacant.

Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, who was an intervenor in the proceedings, also said that Article 36 (5) conferred the EC the right to establish casual vacancies for the seats in the assembly.

Sivakumar's counsel Tommy Thomas submitted that Article 72 of the Federal Constitution meant that Sivakumar enjoyed immunity and his decision that declared the seats were vacant could not be questioned in court.

He said under the article, the Speaker was also conferred the privilege and power to decide over the issue involved in the assembly house and that his decision was final and cannot be challenged in court.
Tommy also said Sivakumar's action in informing the trio's resignation to the EC and announcing the vacancies for the seats was part of his role in the assembly.

Tommy argued that the function of the EC as stated in the Federal Constitution was more an administrative function related to elections such as fixing the nomination and polling dates.

Another of Sivakumar's counsel, Sulaiman Abdullah, submitted that Article 31(1) of the Perak Constitution said that any dispute arising within the state legislative assembly should be settled in the house and it was not for the EC or the court to decide.

"In the present case, there were two separate functions -- separation of powers and separation of functions. The speaker's decision was made by the power given to him while the EC's function is more on dealing with elections," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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