Malaysiakini: Why go to the British when we have our own Bar Council?

KUALA LUMPUR – An Umno lawyer is understood to have been instructed by the Barisan Nasional (BN) party to seek advice from a Queen’s Counsel in London in an effort to break the constitutional impasse in Perak. [The Malaysian Insider, 22/2/09]

The petulance of Malaysian politics has taken another twist. This time, it is reported that UMNO has instructed one of it's lawyers to head thousands of miles across the eight time zones to London, with hope of finding a solution to the constitutional crisis already brewing in Perak.

The political cul de sac in Perak started off with the formation of a new state government, spearheaded by the Barisan Nasional (BN), through undemocratic means. The previous administration was led by (now former) Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin of PAS. Many have called the dissolution of the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government as unconstitutional and undemocratic but to no avail. In a recent SMS poll organised by a local channel, 79% of its participants agree that fresh elections should be held in Perak.