Lim apologises, DAP reps to attend ceremony

Lim apologises, DAP reps to attend ceremony
Mar 13, 08 10:49am
The crisis which developed yesterday over the appointment of a PAS menteri besar in a
DAP-led Perak state assembly seemed to have been resolved today.

DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang who rejected the appointment of a PAS candidate today apologised for any offence caused to the Perak royalty over his statement.

“My three-paragraph statement at 7pm last night that the DAP central executive committee emergency meeting on March 9 had not given approval for a PAS mentri besar to head a Perak coalition state government was not made out of disrespect to the Perak sultan and regent, both whom I have always held in the highest regard and I apologise for any offence caused," he said.

“The statement was on the party position at the time. There have been further discussions and developments on the matter in the hours after the statement. Announcements of the latest position will be made.”

This was immediately followed by state DAP chairperson and Sitiawan state assemblyperson Ngeh Khoo Ham who told Malaysiakini that whatever misunderstanding that occurred over the matter has been clarified.

He also said that all DAP elected representatives will attend the swearing in ceremony before the Sultan of Perak in Kuala Kangsar today at 4pm.

Yesterday, just hours after the Regent of Perak agreed to the appointment of Pasir Panjang state assemblyperson and Perak PAS secretary Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin as the menteri besar, DAP leader Lim Kit Siang threw a spanner in the works, stating that his party had not approved to the appointment.

Lim said that the party had only agreed to the appointment of a menteri besar from either the DAP or the PKR.

He also said that all 18 DAP state representatives would stay away from the swearing-in ceremony for Perak mentri besar scheduled tomorrow.

Ngeh and PKR’s Behrang assemblyperson Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi were the other two candidates who were in the running for the menteri besar post.

Palace released letter

Yesterday, after meeting the regent, Nizar, Ngeh and Jamaluddin told reporters that the regent had agreed with the appointment of Nizar as the menteri besar and that Ngeh would be the deputy menteri besar (1) and an Indian candidate from PKR to be the second deputy menteri besar.

Late last night, soon after Lim's statement was released, the Perak palace released the letter which stated that all three parties, including the DAP, had agreed to the decision of the sultan.

Ngeh’s clarification today comes as a welcome relief to some who were worried that Lim’s stand would cause severe rift among the opposition not just in Perak but nationwide.

Of a total of 59 state seats, DAP controls 18 seats while PKR has seven and PAS six, making a total of 31. The remaining 28 are in the hands of BN.