Subsequent announcement by the Election Commission on Feb 4 that these two men remained assemblymen had no legal effect on their status, as the legal authority to accept resignation and hence determine assemblymen’s legal status within the assembly is vested with the Speaker and not with the EC.

Under our laws, only a conclusive judgment in the court of law can restore the assemblymen status of these two ex-PKR members.

As for the third so-called ‘"independent" ex-DAP assemblywoman Hee Yit Foong, she was reported to have resigned from the state assembly on Feb 4.  Sin Chew Daily dated Feb 5 reported that Speaker Sivakumar faxed a statement to the press at 5 pm on Feb 4 stating that he received Hee’s resignation letter on the same day at 8:10 am and that he had already accepted her resignation, and he would soon contact the EC to arrange for a by-election within 60 days.

With this latest resignation from Hee, Perak assembly is now tied with a 28 vs 28 stalemate.

This is a classic case of a political impasse that is invariably resolved by dissolving the assembly for a fresh election.

As a constitutional monarchy practising parliamentary democracy, it is the Sultan of Perak who dissolves the assembly under the advice of the Mentri Besar.

Mentri Besar Nizar Jamaluddin has already had an audience with his Highness and is waiting for his consent for the dissolution.

In a country practising democracy, consent for dissolution on legitimate ground is rarely withheld from the constitutional head, in keeping with the spirit of democracy which dictates that the people must be final arbiter as to who should form the government.

In the current Perak case, withholding consent to the incumbent, or worse, appointing a new Menteri Besar from the opposition at this time could plunge the state into dangerous and prolonged political turmoil  when current political ambience is characterized by daily dramas of assemblymen “disappearing??? or “hopping??? or “double-hopping??? or even “kidnapping???.

A wise decision from the Sultan at this critical juncture of history will go a long way to enhance the people’s faith in our system of constitutional monarchy, besides restoring stability to Perak, and improve the political ambience to the nation.