Najib's comments on Perak State Assembly Meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: The pandemonium at the Perak State Assembly was shameful, tarnishing Malaysia’s image as a law abiding and democratic country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He expressed regret over the fiasco, saying it was a tragic development.

“We should be showing to the world that we respect the rule of law. Even if we do not like something, we cannot push our point of view to the extent that we deny the right of others.

“The Government has its own rights and the opposition has its own rights too. So it is important that we remain focused on the rule of law so that our democratic system can function in a mature way,” he told reporters after launching “A Decade of Dedication Exhibition” at the Islamic Arts Museum here yesterday.

Najib said if people could no longer respect the rule of law, then things in the country could degenerate into something that was akin to the law of the jungle.

Asked to comment on claims by Pakatan Rakyat that the change of government in Perak was unconstitutional, Najib said:

“Changing party is a normal thing in a parliamentary democracy. Winston Churchill changed parties twice.

“In the United States, a Republican Senator recently crossed over to become a Democrat Senator. It is not unconstitutional to do so and it is also not illegal.”

He said people should not so easily forget about the plan to induce 31 Barisan MPs to join the opposition to enable the setting up of a new government before Sept 16 last year.

That, Najib said, was based on the same principle which the opposition did not consider as unconstitutional then.

“If we feel that can be done, why then it is wrong for three state representatives to support Barisan?” he asked.

Barisan took over the Perak Government in February after

three Pakatan Rakyat representatives quit their respective parties

to become pro-Barisan independents.

Najib also stressed that it was the right of the Sultan not to dissolve the state assembly and no one should try to force the Ruler’s hand on this issue.

“Remember, the Kelantan PAS Government had ruled the state with only a one-seat majority before. Now we have three, and with this three-seat majority support, we can rule the state.”

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Pakatan Rakyat’s behaviour showed utter disrespect to institutions such as the royalty.

“I think it is very annoying to see things like that happening. It is not the first time and it reflects how crude their actions are,” he told reporters after opening the Malaysian International Cocoa Fair.

Muhyiddin said TV footage showed that it was the opposition side which had misbehaved.

“You must be able to control your emotions,” he said.