Nizar: I will keep fighting

Nizar: I will keep fighting
By Clara Chooi
Feb 6 2010 – Malaysian Insider

IPOH, Feb 6 — One whole year has passed since his government fell but Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin still refuses to give up the fight.

In an interview at his rented home here in Sungai Rokam, Nizar explained to The Malaysian Insider the true purpose behind his struggle and why he would not, at all costs, give in to the Barisan Nasional.

“They (the BN) are usurpers of power. They are keeping this to themselves. Perak does not belong to them. It belongs to the people but they have shown that they do not care about this.

“The Pakatan Rakyat (PR), right from the very beginning, has been very consistent about what we want. We want a dissolution because by law, that is the best remedy to solve this crisis,” said the former mentri besar.

The Bukit Gantang MP accused his successor Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir of not respecting the Constitution and the system of democracy as well as not caring for the people.

“In fact, he has snatched the rights of the people and he has no respect for the law at all,” exclaimed Nizar.

The fiery PAS leader admitted that the impasse in Perak has gone on for too long but insisted that the PR could not afford to give up.

“If we were to do that, then we should have done so right from Day One. But because this is a case of something being stolen and we know who the thief is so we have to get it back,” he said.

Nizar joked that only an insane person would sit back and allow a thief to parade around with his or her stolen goods.

“Imagine if someone comes to your house and steals your car and you know who this person is. Are you just going to sit back and say — ‘it’s OK, I will let him drive around for a year…’”

‘The people know when a judge has done wrong’

‘The people know when a judge has done wrong’
By N.H. Chan
Feb 6 2010 – Malaysian Insider

IPOH, Feb 6 — For the anniversary of the power grab for control of the Perak state government by Barisan Nasional, The Malaysian Insider asked me to write an essay on the topic that the biggest casualty out of that entire episode is the Law.

The Law is not a casualty. It is the integrity and reputation of a great number of the country’s judges that has been tarnished. Those affected are the judges of the High Court but mostly they are the judges in the higher echelon of the judicial hierarchy.

They think they can ignore the provisions of the Federal and the Perak State Constitutions, even the statutes enacted by Parliament, so long as they side with the government of the day. Whether or not they have intentionally taken one side or the other is not the point, it is the public perception of their decisions that they are one-sided that matters.

The recalcitrant judges have sullied the good name and reputation of our nation irreparably. In the eye of the international community, Malaysia is now a pariah state; it is no better than Zimbabwe, Myanmar and other rogue nations where the rule of law is only a myth and where the notion of separation of powers or the independence of the judges seems to be beyond the reach of their comprehension.

But this is not the essay that I wish to write. I want to write about the phenomenon of a growing public awareness in this country of the people’s ability to judge the judges. These people already know right from wrong.

Nizar: 80pc of Perakians support PR

Nizar: 80pc of Perakians support PR
Feb 2 2010 – Malaysian Insider

IPOH, Feb 2 — Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin scoffed at Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir’s confidence about winning the next polls, saying that at least 80per cent of Perakians supported Pakatan Rakyat.

He rebutted Zambry’s claims that the Barisan Nasional could make a sweep of at least 34 seats in the 59-seat assembly and said that it would be amazing if they could even claim just half of the number or 17 seats.

“Zambry says that in the next elections, he can win at least 34 seats. I tell you, even if the BN can win just half of that, then it would be amazing,” he said at a ceramah in Taman Meru here last night.

Nizar also said that if Zambry were truly confident that the BN can perform so well in the next polls, then the latter should not be afraid to seek an audience with the Sultan and call for a dissolution of the assembly.

“I say to him (Zambry), if you feel so confident that you can win these 34 seats, then tomorrow we dissolve the assembly and go for elections. Why not let the rakyat decide?” he said.

He laughed off Zambry’s challenge asking for all 28 PR assemblymen to resign from their state seats in order to prove their confidence that the people would still vote them into power.”How can he be so silly? Resign from out seats? Everyone knows that election laws do not permit us to recontest our seats for the next five years if we resign,” he said.