The special sitting of the Selangor state assembly on Monday 24 January 2011 to amend the state constitution should be a very exciting affair.
What would the BN state assembly members do when the state constitutional amendment bill is tabled? Support it? Abstain from voting? Or boycott the proceeding by walking out?
The Sultan of Selangor has said that giving consent for the special state assembly sitting does not mean that he is supporting any party. The Sultan has stressed that he is above politics and is non-partisan, and does not wish to be involved in or linked with any political dispute.
Selangor Umno deputy chairman Datuk Noh Omar has quickly responded that the royal consent for the sitting does not mean that the Sultan agrees to the constitution amendment.
Earlier, many people speculated that if the Sultan did not give approval, the bill by the state government to amend the state constitution might not be tabled. However, the consent of the Palace has now been given.
Umno is now in a dilemma. As the Sultan has given his consent for the sitting, boycotting it means that they do not respect the ruler, while not supporting the motion may also be seen as opposing the stand of the Palace.
If some Umno state assembly members support the amendment motion, they will set a precedent, and cause a major dispute within the party.
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had amended the state constitutions during his administration, and if the Selangor state constitution is now amended again, would it cause a controversy within Umno?
Whether the Pakatan Rakyat leadership will be able to repair its relationship with Malay rulers through the state constitutional amendments this time is also a key to the future political developments.
The relationship of the Pakatan Rakyat and Malay rulers has been tarnished during the Perak regime change crisis. Through the current delicate political situation, the rulers could further strengthen the constitutional monarchy and enhance their roles.
Meanwhile, Selangor Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim has declared the Port Klang state seat vacant.
If state assembly member Badrul Hisham Abdullah is barred from attending the special sitting, there will be an outbreak of war of words between the government backbenchers and the BN opposition members before the constitutional amendment motion is tabled. It would make a perfect excuse for the BN state assembly members to walk out in protest.
If the Election Commission (EC) does not recognise the power of the Speaker to declare the seat vacant, there will be a repetition of the legal battle over the vacant state seat crisis in Kota Seputeh.
If the judiciary intervenes in the legislature, it would be a blow to the democratic principle of the separation of powers.
Will there be police roadblocks and heavy security beef-up outside the Selangor state assembly building on 24 January? Will things get physical?
No one can predict what will happen, but Selangor is an industrial centre of the country and any radical political confrontations will be a zero-sum game and the people will be ones who will suffer the losses.
Sin Chew Daily
Any bodies like to wager that BN will be using that useless lazy makan gaji buta adun from port klang to cause a walkout and so avoided being branded a traitor to the sultan for not supporting the amendment?
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