Perak assembly sitting this Wednesday unlikely to proceed, says speaker

 

The current political situation in Perak will delay the tabling of the 2021 budget. (Bernama pic)

IPOH: Now that the menteri besar and state executive councillors have resigned, the state assembly sitting scheduled for Wednesday is unlikely to proceed.

Under the state law, the menteri besar and at least four state councillors must be appointed before the assembly sitting can resume, speaker Mohamad Zahir Abdul Khalid said.

Ahmad Faizal Azumu, who is Chenderiang assemblyman, resigned as the Perak menteri besar along with his state executive councillors after failing to get majority support in a vote of confidence.

Zahir said a motion to adjourn the meeting will first be tabled on Wednesday after which the next sitting will only resume once Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Shah consents to the new appointments.

“Assuming a state government is not formed when the meeting continues as scheduled at 2.30pm this Wednesday, I will request for an assemblyman to propose that the meeting be adjourned to a date to be announced later,” he told Bernama.

According to its original schedule, the state assembly sitting was supposed to be held for five days, beginning last Friday, with the tabling of the Perak 2021 budget before continuing on Tuesday until Friday.

However, due to the developments triggered in the assembly last Friday by the vote of confidence against the menteri besar, Zahir adjourned the sitting to Wednesday.

Zahir said the new menteri besar will need to give 14 days’ notice to the assembly before the next sitting can be resumed, adding that it would be up to him whether to table a new budget. - FMT