Missing PKR duo: Perak Pakatan to lodge report (updated)

Jamaluddin: I have not resigned

Jamaludin Mat Radzi has denied that he has stepped down from his post as Behrang state assemblyman as claimed by Perak state assembly speaker earlier this evening

Breaking his five-day silence he denied sending such a letter to Perak speaker V Sivakumar.

According to a report in Utusan online , Jamaluddin informed Utusan Malaysia that he and Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd. Osman did not send such a letter (memaklumkan kepada Utusan Malaysia bahawa beliau dan dan ADUN Changkat Jering, Mohd. Osman Jailu tidak pernah menghantar surat berhubung perletakan jawatan itu.). (And, Bernama report here)

update 2:

Pakatan Rakyat Reps May Join BN - Abdullah
February 01, 2009 20:55 PM

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today there is a possibility that several Pakatan Rakyat elected representatives in Perak would join the Barisan Nasional. (Read Bernama here)

"God willing, it will happen," he told reporters when asked to comment on talks that there would be Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen in Perak crossing over to BN.

Abdullah, who is BN chairman and Umno president, said the elected representatives would want to join Umno because they had confidence in its struggle.

"(We will) accept them as it is their choice and they want to join us in the struggle... it will be a new experience for them and allow them the opportunities to serve through the BN," said Abdullah.Abdullah declined to state the number of assemblymen joining the BN.

Update 1
Perak speaker: Duo have resigned
Feb 1, 09 7:38pm

Perak state assembly speaker V Sivakumar said that he had received letters of resignation from both Behrang assemblyperson Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Changkat Jering assemblyperson Osman Jailu.

He said that he received their faxed letters at about 5.45pm at his house."They have stepped down as state assemblypersons with immediate effect," he said in a statement today.

With that, Sivakumar declared both the Behrang and Chankat Jering state seats vacant, necessitating two by-elections soon.He added that he will be informing the Election Commission tomorrow about the vacancy.

The by-elections for the two state seats will have to be held within 60 days.

Earlier report:

Menteri Besar Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said that the State government would be lodging a 'missing person' police report following the disappearance of the two PKR state representatives, according to a report by Malaysiakini

This will be done after consulting with their families, he told a press conference in Ipoh today.

The Menteri Besar also urged the missing two PKR state representatives - Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mat Radzi and Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Jailu - to come forward even if they have decided to join BN.

Mohammad Nizar had earlier chaired a meeting with all state Pakatan representatives and leaders to discuss the continued absence of the two at his official residence. Also present was ex-Umno Bota assemblyperson Nasarudin Hashim who crossed over to PKR last week.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mohammad Nizar confirmed that the two state excos have been incommunicado for the past five days and have not been in contact with family members and the state officials.

The two men have not been seen in public since last Sunday - the day when Nasaruddin defected to PKR - amidst rumours that they are being courted by BN and will soon jump ship.

In Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi stopped short of confirming that the duo are on their way to the BN.

Speaking to reporters this morning, the BN chairperson said that several Pakatan elected representatives in Perak would be jumping ship to join BN soon.

Abdullah, however, declined to reveal more information.

When asked to comment on reports that the two were spotted in Pekan, in the company of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, Abdullah said that an official announcement would be made once all the necessary procedures are completed.

Jamaluddin, 52, is the Perak entrepreneur development and cooperatives committee chairperson while Osman, 57, heads the state tourism and NGO committee.

They were charged in a Sessions Court on Aug 25 last year with allegedly receiving bribes over the application for a RM180 million housing project in Sri Iskandar in Perak Tengah. Their case comes up for hearing on Feb 10.

It is also learnt that the state Pakatan Rakyat government would consider releasing undated letters of resignations signed by the two.

These letters were signed by all Pakatan state representatives just after the March 8, 2008 general election and are being kept by the menteri besar.

The release of such letters - expected to be done either today or by Tuesday - would mean that the planned defection of the duo, if it happens, would not add the number of seats for BN in the state assembly.

Andy, if the letters are released, by-elections would follow for both the state seats. Election laws also prohibit resigned elected representatives from contesting for the seats.

With the defection of Nasarudin, the Pakatan Rakyat state government has increased its majority from two to three.

However, should the two PKR exco defect to BN, Pakatan will have a slim one-seat majority of 30 to 29.

It is learnt that Najib is seeking one more defection from Pakatan to enable BN to form the state government.

At present, Pakatan has 32 seats in Perak with DAP (18), PKR (8) and PAS (6), while BN has 27 with Umno (26) and MCA (1).

Menteri Besar Mohamad Nizar may exercise his option of dissolving the state assembly and call a snap election in Perak.

Meanwhile, PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim is also expected to hold a meeting with all Perak PKR state representatives and leader in Permatang Pauh at 3pm today. – Excerpts from Malaysiakini