The Malaysian Insider

By Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — The Barisan Nasional has won the legal battle to keep Perak but the political battle for the hearts and minds of the people has just started — and it remains an uphill battle for BN.

“The vast majority of the people reject this court appointed Mentri Besar,” said Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran, echoing the feelings of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) supporters across the country.

He told The Malaysian Insider that PR members are shocked and disappointed with the outcome.

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to accept today’s Federal Court ruling that upheld his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition as the legitimate Perak government.

Najib (picture) said the verdict which found in favour of Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir was decided by the country’s top court and that its decision is legally supreme.

“Though those [who] lost may have a differing view of the judgment, we have to accept the decision of the country’s highest court,” he told a press conference here.

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid and Debra Chong

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9 — Toppled Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin said today’s Federal Court ruling that upheld Barisan Nasional (BN) as the rightful state government will lead to an “absolute monarchy.”

“If this decision goes on and becomes the law of the day, it will lead to an absolute monarchy,” Nizar said after the apex court declared Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir the rightful mentri besar.

“That means the Ruler can now dismiss the prime minister or the mentri besar at any time,” said the grim-faced PAS leader.

While Nizar accepted the court decision, he claimed the ruling had “neglected constitutional precedents” and ignored the wishes of the voters.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom and two others today filed preliminary objections in applying to strike out Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s “qazaf” application against his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Jamil Khir, Federal Territory (FT) Syariah chief prosecutor Shamsuddin Hussain and FT Religious Department director Datuk Che Mat Che Ali, as the applicants, filed the preliminary objections at the Syariah High Court registry here this afternoon through the law firm of Zainul Rijal Talha & Amir.

Their lawyers, Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, Roslizam Rahim and Mohd Firdaus Mohd Arifin were present at the court to file the papers.

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 9 — MIC president Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu was today ordered by the Court of Appeal to pay a symbolic sum of RM1 as costs to the late Kumanan Pupathi Athimulan, Malaysia Nanban’s chief group editorial advisor in a RM100 million defamation suit.

Justices Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari, Datuk Wira Abu Samah Nordin and Datuk Ramly Ali made the order following an application by counsel K. Saraswathy for Kumanan Pupathi Athimulan, who was better known as Athi Kumanan, for the sum to be given to Athi Kumanan.

Zaleha also ordered Samy Vellu to pay RM1,500 in costs to the publisher of the Malaysia Nanban newspaper, Penerbitan Sahabat (M) Sdn Bhd.