Perak Crisis Continues

From The Stars

By CHRISTINA KOH

IPOH: Perak Speaker V. Sivakumar has again suspended State Assembly secretary Abdullah Antong Sabri, this time for issuing notices to convene a sitting on May 7 without his knowledge. Last month, Sivakumar suspended Abdullah for failing to act impartially over the calling of an emergency sitting on March 3. Sivakumar said the notices signed by Abdullah were sent to assemblymen on Friday despite the previous suspension. “Don’t you think it is necessary to consult the Speaker first? Who is the head of the House? It is embarrassing because I was the last person to know. “He didn’t consult me at all and as far as I know, I did not hear anything from the palace,” he told a press conference at his office at the state assembly building here yesterday. Saying he would seek an audience with the palace to clarify the matter, Sivakumar said he believed it was another ploy to belittle and insult the assembly. Asked if he would agree to the sitting if the palace had been consulted, Sivakumar said: “Of course, I would. If everything is in order, I will act accordingly. But until then, I have to have it clarified.” To a question, Sivakumar said that even if someone from the Mentri Besar’s office had obtained permission, the protocol would be to inform the Speaker first. Meanwhile, State Secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim said Sivakumar has no authority to suspend Abdullah. He said Sivakumar’s position “is only that of an administrative and diplomatic officer with a M52 grade.” “Only the government of the day has the authority to suspend the (assembly) secretary,” he said. As such, Dr Abdul Rahman said, only certain personnel, including he and the mentri besar, acting on behalf of the state government could suspend Abdullah. Assembly regulations require that it be convened within six months of the last session. The last day for that would be May 13. Read more here