Public pressure is once again on Perak Sultan Azlan Shah to dissolve the State Legislative Assembly and call for fresh state elections to break the three-month-long political impasse.

Two days ago, a coalition of 50 non-governmental organisations in Perak made a public plea to the sultan to exercise his constitutional powers in dissolving the assembly and get a fresh mandate from his subjects on their choice of government.

The NGO coalition, which stated that it neither support Pakatan Rakyat nor Barisan Nasional state government, said their main concern was the welfare of Perakians.

sultan azlan According to the coalition, they want true democracy to once again flourish in the Silver state.

Last night, Perak PAS Muslimat - the Islamic party women’s wing - also made a similar plea to the sultan to step in and resolve the political imbroglio confronting the state.

“Our Tuanku is not only very intelligent but he is also the country’s former chief justice who had delivered ground-breaking judgments,” Muslimat chief Bariah Alang Sapri told Malaysiakini .

“Likewise, we want Tuanku to give a decisive judgment so that his subjects can once again return to their normal life instead continuing to live with the political tension and turmoil that has raged in the state since February.”

Bariah accused BN of abusing the powers of executive, legislative and judiciary to achieve their political objective in retaining the state government.

“Tuanku is our last hope of bringing political stability to the state as we have lost hope in Barisan in calling fresh state elections.”

Najib: BN will leave it to the sultan

Another reminder of the sultan’s constitutional powers in dissolving the state assembly came yesterday from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak himself.

The newly-minted premier said he would leave it to Sultan Azlan Shah to decide on whether an election was to be held.

“We hope that Tuanku will listen to the wishes of his subjects and call for fresh elections. Najib’s statement yesterday has also strengthened our belief that Tuanku is expected by everyone to make a decision on the matter,” said Bariah.

However, Bariah said PAS would respect the sultan’s decision even if he decides against calling fresh elections.

“Patience and tolerance is the way of life for all PAS members and as such we will wait for the next state election, which we believe will come as early as next year,” said the state head PAS Muslimat.