Media Conference Statement by Ngeh Koo Ham at DAP Headquarters in Ipoh on Friday, 8^th May 2009 at 10.00 am:

V. Sivakumar is still the speaker of the Perak State Assembly

By any account V. Sivakumar is still the speaker of the Perak State Assemby.

On 7/5/2009 at 10.00 am, V. Sivakumar who is recognized by both BN and PR elected representatives as the legitimate speaker informed the House that he will not begin the sitting unless the 7 elected representatives who have been suspended and the elected representatives for Behrang, Changkat Jering and Jelapang who have resigned leave the House.

The 10 of them refused to leave despite repeated reminders from the Speaker to do so.

About an hour later, the BN elected representatives shouted that they have no confidence in the speaker and formed a sub-Assembly of only BN elected representative within the State Assembly. They gathered around Jelapang assembly woman (who had resigned) and started their own proceedings to pass 4 other motions to replace the existing selected committees. All these while the Speaker V. Sivakumar was still seated at his speaker’s seat.

When the Speakar has not announced the commencement of the proceedings how can it be legal for the BN elected representatives unilaterally commence their own assembly sitting within the State Assembly? At that material time and at all material times there was only one legitimate speaker and no other person can commence any proceeding except V. Sivakumar.

V. Sivakumar announced that the motions submitted have all been rejected by him the day earlier i.e on 6/5/2009. Amongst the reasons given were that the motions were proposed and seconded by those who have been suspended from attending the State Assembly and therefore invalid.

The opening speech of HRH the Regent of Perak was given only at 3.30 pm and the Assembly may begin only thereafter. By then V. Sivakumar have been forcibly removed from the House by a group of persons believed to be police personnel. After the opening speech of HRH the Regent of Perak there were no other agenda and the House did not approved any motion or decision.

Therefore, V. Sivakumar is still the legitimate speaker for the following reasons:-

1. The House has not sat as V. Sivakumar has not begun the House sitting at any point of time.

2. All motions of the house have been rejected by him in his chambers a day earlier which was within his power to do so.

3. The House can only begin its proceedings after the opening speech of HRH the Regent of Perak. The sitting could not begin because V. Sivakumar had been forcibly carried out of the House earlier. Any decision of the House could only be made after the opening the speech of HRH the Regent of Perak but the House did not transact any business as the illegally elected speaker Dato’ Ganesan immediately adjourned the House after HRH the Regent of Perak’s speech.

* Ngeh Koo Ham, Perak DAP Chairman & Senior Exco Member Pakatan Rakyat Perak State Government