M'sia lawmakers fight

M'sia lawmakers fight
Barisan Nasional wins control after 5-hour State Assembly brawl
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief

Newly elected state speaker Datuk R. Ganesan (second from left) being asked to leave the assembly hall by the Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen. -- PHOTO: THE STAR

IPOH: Chaos reigned in the Perak State Assembly yesterday as assemblymen from opposing sides scuffled, wrestled and screamed at one another to wrest control of the legislature.
A raucous showdown paralysed the assembly for more than five hours as the Barisan Nasional (BN) and opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) tussled for control.

The BN eventually prevailed when its candidate for Speaker was installed.

The State Assembly was the last institution still helmed by the PR after the alliance was toppled by the BN through defections in February.

The BN had taken over the administration, with Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir sworn in as Menteri Besar.

But the PR refused to recognise this, and has taken the BN to court. The High Court will deliver its decision on the legitimacy of the takeover on Monday.

Yesterday's assembly sitting had to be convened because the state Constitution does not allow more than six months to lapse between meetings. The last sitting was in November.

The BN also wanted to remove PR-appointed Speaker V. Sivakumar, but this took five tense hours as the PR resisted the move.

When punches were thrown, the police intervened. Plainclothes policemen pulled Mr Sivakumar from his chair and dragged him out of the hall.

BN Speaker A. Ganesan then took over the chair and presided over the opening of the assembly.