‘Any interference by the courts in the Perak crisis will violate the constitution and create an even bigger constitutional crisis which strikes at the heart of our Westminister system of government.'

On Lawyers not allowed to represent speaker

Kenny Gan: Are Umno politicians and lawyers illiterate? The state and federal constitutions clearly spell out the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and the judiciary.

The actions of the speaker are beyond the jurisdiction of the courts. Why then did Zambry file several applications to the court to overturn the speaker's decision?

The court should rightly refuse to entertain Zambry's applications as it has no power to do so.

Any interference by the courts will violate the constitution and create an even bigger constitutional crisis which strikes at the heart of our Westminister system of government.

Locking up the state secretariat building to prevent a meeting of the assembly from being held is a brazen interference of the executive into the legislature and typical of the thuggish behaviour of Umno.

The best solution to the Perak impasse is to dissolve the assembly and call fresh elections. Any party which dares not face elections has no right to call itself a legitimate government.

On Ball is now in Perak sultan's court

DS: This time, if the Sultan of Perak, continues to not heed the rakyat 's wishes and dissolve the state assembly, his reputation would be forever tarnished.

Generations to come will remember him as a royalty who did not care about the welfare of his subjects.

He will also be remembered as a sultan without the courage to walk his own talk and stand up for justice, democracy and the separation of powers.

Maniam Sankar: I do hope the Sultan of Perak is witnessing the needless shame he has unleashed on Perak.

Sultans are supposed to be above politics. When they do interfere, they must justify their actions to the people; not just to the deputy prime minister.

Keeping his silence does not endear the sultan to the people nor does it provide clarity. I do hope he moves to resolve this before more mayhem happens.

He should, after all, be the one most concerned. His subjects have spoken and they are very confused; now he must ask them for their verdict at the ballot box.

John Johnson: We are on dangerous ground. Perak is in turmoil. Why is the royalty keeping mum? We know they are supposed to be above politics but it's ridiculous to see the speaker being bullied.

Why are there no snap elections? Why hasn't the Sultan of Perak called for them? It is a simple solution but one stays mum? Why?

On What ‘option's are open to BN in Perak?

Janna: By invoking emergency powers for Perak, the country will head down the slippery slope into lawlessness.

Once the federal government under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has a taste of being the most powerful and not having the courts question the necessity of invoking emergency powers (that point is no longer moot, the courts gave in to the executive), anything else is game for BN.

Why, it might think it is just so easy to arrest the opposition in one fell swoop. Why not? All together now, let's cripple the move for greater democracy.

Such lawlessness happened in Mahathir's time with Ops Lallang and again the courts gave over their own powers of oversight to the executive then.

Just read Karpal Singh's habeas corpus case when under Ops Lallang. The whole Ops Lallang episode was shameful.

Our civil liberties will go up in a poof soon.! All this for the sake of BN maintaining power over the people.

On Emergency meet held under a tree

Arunasalam P: What a sad day for democracy in Malaysia. It hurts to read that the Perak state assembly met under a tree in a car park some 100 meters away from the Perak state assembly building.

It hurts to read that the police blocked the entrance to the building and obstructed the apeaker and the state assembly person from entering the building to hold their emergency sitting.

What on earth is happening to the political state of affairs in our beloved nation, Malaysia?

Why doesn't some commonsense prevail among the politicians? It is obvious that more than fifty percent of Perak's voters voted for change a year ago during the last general election. This is a clear indication that the people of Perak gave Pakatan Rakyat the mandate to rule the state.

Then came the party-hopping by three state assembly persons that led to this severe crisis which could cause irreparable political, economical and social damage. In a ‘hung government' situation. the wisest thing to do is for the assembly to be dissolved and fresh elections called.

What is hampering Barisan National from seeking a fresh mandate from the people if they are confident that Perakians want them to rule the state? It makes me feel that Barisan National does not have confidence that they would be voted in if fresh elections are held.

The longer this crisis persists the more damage it is going to cause. Under these circumstances, it is wise to dissolve the assembly. Let the people of Perak decide again once and for all. Save the situation through democratic means and not by force or power.

Malaysia's reputation and standing would be irreparably damaged if we do not quickly find an amicable solution to the Perak crisis. I would urge all concerned to act rationally in the larger interest of our beloved nation, Malaysia.

Lim Leong: I have watched the the Malaysia's political scene with keen interest since the Mar 8 election It is beyond belief the political dramas being played out like a flying circus. It has gone from one low to the next with dirtier tactics each time by the ruling coalition.

Instead of making a concerted effort to tackle the ailing economy caused by the global recession, BN is once again using its entire machinery in a attempt to cling on to power and to crush the opposition through illegal and dubious means.

Top BN leaders have always preached to the people to respect the rule of law and respect the constitution. Where is the rule of law and respect for the constitution when a state secretary can unilaterally disallow the sitting of the state assembly?

The people are not blind or stupid; the people can see that this is a classic case of resorting to force and coercion when there is a lack of legitimate means.

It is a last-ditch, desperate attempt to cling on to power at all costs. Would anybody trust this government to steer the nation through the current economic crisis?

Remember the saying, Those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history'. Enough said...

The Healer: Let the show begin! The whole episode of the Perak constitutional crisis is the longest movie and probably the most entertaining show I've ever watched.

Nevertheless, I do hope for a good ending, like every other good movie I've watched and I hope a good ending with respect to the people in Perak.

May God's sovereign plan be rolled out with time. What an exciting story to tell my children and my grandchildren in the future.

Cgtpg: Dear friends, we Malaysians have evolved for well for 50 years not knowing about the ‘known angels' and the ‘unknown angels'.

The known angels are trying to tear us apart so that Malaysians split up again to satisfy their lust for power and distribution of wealth.

The ‘unknown angels' on other hand have their wings clamped so they cannot do much now but...Father Time is with us.

Because the voting hand is not clamped , the day is near when we chase the ‘known angels' away.

On State building to be closed tomorrow

Pete:

The police are playing the role of the ‘SS' of Germany during WWII which is to stop at all cost any form of ‘uprising against the ruling party' - which is Umno.

How can the police act on orders of the state secretary to cordon off the state secretariat building? It is akin to the personal assistant of a company's managing director issuing an order to retrench all workers.

Since I started voting in 1990, BN has always said, ‘Do not vote for the opposition, as there will be trouble. Last year was no different. However the people did not listen and BN's prediction is now coming true.

What is not mentioned was who were the ones who created the trouble - Umno in this case. It is clear that in Malaysia, democracy simply does not exists.

BN/Umno, of course, will make everything look like a democracy but will continuously use the authorities and machinery they control to wrest back power.

Peter Yew: What a joke. Like children fighting for lollipops. I am truly ashamed to be associated with this bunch of hooligans who would bend the laws and violate the authority of the Perak state assembly speaker just because he is from the Pakatan.

Shutting out the state assembly by brute force and using the FRU? I take all these as signs of absence of confidence that you will win in a free and fair election.

This is the message I am sending to the BN: eyes are watching you and the manner in which you are attempting to usurp control of the state without the people's mandate will be remembered.

Are you so afraid of all this because you fear defeat? Let the people decide who shall be the legitimate government by any constitutional means. We are all very tired of this child play. Please grow up.

Andi Choo : Power has got into their heads after over 50 years that they cannot take even slight criticism. They are becoming very intolerant. What they want today is ‘do as we tell you but don't do what we do'. It's a sad situation.

Albert Tye: It appears that sam sen g are now ruling Perak!

How can the police not take action against some 30 unruly, burly men who took the law into their own hands by blocking the Perak state assembly persons from entering the state assembly building?

Are these sam seng connected to BN-Umno?