ELECTION IN NORTHERN STATE OF PERAK DOES NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN - PM

PUTRAJAYA, May 14 (Bernama) -- A fresh state election is only one of the
options to resolve the northern state of Perak political crisis and not
something that has to happen, said Najib Razak.

The prime minister said it was up to the Ruler of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah
to decide whether a fresh election should be held for Perak.

Speaking to reporters after attending the public sector's Workers Day
assembly here, Najib said the federal ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) or National
Front was not afraid of facing any eventuality, including a fresh state
election, if that was the decision.

"We are ready to face the people," he said.

Najib was asked about the possibility of another election for Perak to end
the current political crisis in the state.

On Monday, the High Court ruled that Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin is the
rightful Chief Minister after finding that the post could only be deemed
vacant through a vote of no-confidence in the state assembly.

But Zambry Abd Kadir filed an appeal against the decision in the Court of
Appeal, allowing him to remain as Chief Minister while waiting for the decision
on the appeal case.

Perak, Peninsular Malaysia's second largest state, was under the opposition
coalition government after last March's general election. The current
constitutional crisis was triggered when three state assembly members defected
from the opposition coalition, overturning the state government's slim majority.
A fourth assembly member had earlier defected from the BN to the PR but later
hopped back to the BN. With that, the current status of the house is 28 PR
members, 28 BN members - and three independents, who are pro-BN.
-- BERNAMA