Thesun 2009-02-24 Page01 Perak Speaker In The Hot Seat

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POH: Police questioned Perak Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar for two hours yesterday relating to reports lodged against him over recent political and constitutional developments in the state. Three officers from the State Commercial Crimes Department interviewed him at the office of Chan & Associates, at Jalan Tun Sambanthan, from 3.20pm. However, it is learnt Sivakumar’s lawyers, Chan Kok Keong and Augustine Anthony, were not allowed to accompany him. According to Chan, the police initially said they wanted to question Sivakumar over a report lodged by Jelapang assemblywoman Hee Yit Foong (who has since quit the DAP to become a Barisan Nasional-friendly independent) against Sivakumar. However, when the lawyers asked to see the report, the police declined to show it. Chan said instead of investigating Hee’s report, police started questioning Sivakumar on other reports lodged against him. At 5.20pm, the officers left, carrying a printer which was used to print Sivakumar’s statement. A visibly-tired Sivakumar – who had made headlines last week when he suspended Mentri Besar

Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir for 18 months and his six executive council members for 12 months for contempt of the assembly– told a large group of reporters that any investigation by the police against any member of the assembly in his capacity as legislator violated existing laws. “The Legislative Assembly (Privileges) Enactment 1959 read together with Article 72 of the Federal Constitution makes it clear that the conduct of any member of the Legislative Assembly in his/her capacity as a member and the validity of their proceedings are absolutely protected by immunity from civil or criminal proceedings for anything said or done,” he said in a statement. As such, he called on the police to cease all investigations against him or any of the assembly members. However, he said in the meeting with the police officers yesterday, he had given his “fullest co-operation, to the extent that my co-operation does not infringe or violate any provision of the laws of this country”. Neither the police nor Sivakumar would reveal what exactly he was questioned on. Last Wednesday, Perak state assembly’s committee of rights and privileges chaired by Sivakumar handed down the suspensions, throwing the state deeper into a constitutional and political crisis. Many constitutional lawyers have given their

opinion on whether Sivakumar had the power to do what he did and Zambry has set up a legal team to advise him on his next course of action. The only thing clear is that Sivakumar has to convene the state assembly to endorse the decision as the assembly was not in session when the committee met. He had written to the Sultan of Perak last week for consent to convene a special sitting. Meanwhile, at Parliament lobby yesterday, Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming, who is a Perak assemblyman, urged Zambry to call for the dissolution of the assembly as this was the only way to end the constitutional crisis. Nga, who was an executive councillor of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government, said if Zambry failed to do so, the PR will move a motion to stop the BN government from using state funds. He also criticised a reported decision b y Zambry’s team to seek advice from a Queen’s Counsel on the state crisis. Zambry has said he had no knowledge of that and was leaving it to his lawyers to decide what’s best.

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Perak speaker in the hot seat

by Humayun Kabir

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life, won eight of the 10 categories in which it was nominated. Other winners were Kate Winslet (Best Actress), Sean Penn (Best Actor), Heath Ledger (Best Supporting Actor) and Penelope Cruz (Best Supporting Actress). Hugh Jackman was host. Full story and photos on Page 18