2009 Perak Constitutional Crisis - New State Government

New State Government

The Sultan Azlan Shah announced his decision to refuse Nizar's request for a dissolution of the state assembly and asked Nizar and his cabinet to resign, citing his discretion under Article XVIII (2)(b) of the Perak State Constitution after being satisfied that Nizar no longer commanded the support of the majority in the house of assembly. DAP advisor, Lim Kit Siang, charged that the sultan was obliged to act on the advice of the Menteri Besar and call fresh elections, citing Article 16(6) of the Perak State Constitution.

Nizar refused to resign and asked the sultan to reconsider and dissolve the assembly, citing reasons of democracy, with backing from leaders of Pakatan Rakyat. The police cordoned off the state secretariat building and demanded Nizar's cabinet to vacate the building. Later in the evening, the sultan asked Zambry Abdul Kadir to form the next government, removed Nizar from the office of Menteri Besar and swore in Zambry as the new First Minister on 6 February 2009.

On the morning of 6 February 2009, Nizar and his exco members returned to the Menteri Besar's office to find that their offices had been cleared. Nizar held a press conference in the office premises along with his exco, but they were promptly ordered to leave by the state secretary on grounds that they had breached an earlier agreement to only take his personal belongings. Nizar was escorted out of the office by the police 45 minutes later. Some members of the Bar Council defended the sultan's decision saying that His Majesty had acted within the state constitutional provisions while Information Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek claimed that Nizar's refusal to resign was act of treason.

Zambry was sworn in as the new Menteri Besar of Perak at 4.08pm that day. The ceremony was attended by members of the Barisan Nasional, including Najib, who arrived in the royal palace, Istana Iskandariah, Kuala Kangsar under heavy security. Supporters of the Pakatan Rakyat amassed in large number outside the palace to protest the swearing in of Zambry. Anwar Ibrahim challenged the legitimacy of Zambry's appointment by stating that Nizar still remains the Menteri Besar, as guaranteed by the state constitutional provisions, while Nizar continued his call for a motion of no confidence to be held in the assembly sitting before he steps down. Nizar called for the resignation of Zambry and stated his desire to file an application at the High Court and declare his appointment as unconstitutional. Nizar and other members of the Pakatan administration returned to the Menteri Besar official residence on 7 February and went ahead with approving three new policies in Perak.