Chaos inside, dozens arrested outside

State assemblypersons brawled and hurled insults as a tussle for control of Perak state assembly descended into pandemonium, while outside police arrested dozens of protesters including several lawmakers.

Inside the assembly hall, there were chaotic scenes as Barisan Nasional ejected speaker V Sivakumar - a Pakatan Rakyat appointee who has been blocking the coalition's attempts to exert its authority.

Sivakumar was forcibly removed from the speaker's chair and dragged out of the assembly by plainclothes police officers, triggering a melee as Pakatan assemblypersons tried to shield him.

Punches were thrown earlier as Pakatan lawmakers attempted to prevent new BN speaker R Ganesan from entering the chamber, in chaotic scenes which saw a number of legislators climb up on tables.

"During the shuffle, I was pushed. I was then dragged to the door of the chamber. They (the police) pulled my hair and kicked my waist," Pakatan assemblyman Chan Ming Kai told AFP.

"They even tried to handcuff me," he said. BN leaders in Perak were not immediately available for comment.

After six hours of pandemonium, order was eventually restored so that Perak Regent could deliver his royal address. Soon after, the assembly was adjourned to an undecided date by the new speaker.

However, the issue of who is in control of the state government is still in question as Pakatan representatives are challenging the legitimacy of today's sitting.

Earlier today, hundreds of police and riot squad were deployed at the state assembly, which was blocked off with barricades to prevent black-clad protesters from reaching the building.

"It has become a war zone, it's a national and international disgrace," said top opposition figure Lim Kit Siang who was turned away by riot police. [SEE VIDEO]

"It is more shameful and outrageous because even though we were officially invited by the (parliamentary) speaker we are refused entry," he told reporters.

Perak has been in political limbo since February, when the Barisan Nasional coalition which rules nationally tried to oust the Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance which won the state in general elections a year ago.

After defections cost the Pakatan Rakyat its delicate balance of power, the Perak sultan ordered it to quit but it refused, leading to a standoff until today when the assembly reconvened for the first time.

The coalition was aiming to oust the parliamentary speaker - an opposition appointee who has been blocking its attempts to exert its authority - in order to regain control of the assembly.

Mayhem in the chamber

Reporters inside the assembly said there was mayhem in the chamber, with legislators shouting at each other and BN representatives refusing the speaker's orders to leave.

Meanwhile Bahau state assemblyperson Teo Kok Seong, a DAP leader from Negri Sembilan, told AFP by telephone from riot police headquarters in Ipoh that he was being held along with 30 other activists who had been arrested at the protest.

Among those arrested include five parliamentarians and five state assemblypersons.

They include MPs Dr D Jeyakumar (PSM-Sungai Siput, Perak) and Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PAS-Parit Buntar, Perak), Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian, Kelantan) and Zuraida Kamaruddin (PKR-Ampang, Selangor).

Also arrested along with Tey were three other state assemblypersons - Ng Chin Tsai (DAP-Temiang, Negri Sembilan) Khoo Poay Tiong (DAP-Ayer Keroh, Malacca) and Jenice Lee (DAP-Teratai, Selangor) (right).

Some were hauled in for gathering outside the assembly, in defiance of a police ban, while others were dragged out of nearby restaurants.

"This is just ridiculous, how can they just arrest the public like that?" one opposition supporter RK Muthu told reporters at one of the restaurants facing the assembly.

"This is just like a curfew area. A fresh state election is the best way to solve all the problems for the past three months, let the people elect their government," he said just before being arrested.

Tian Chua arrested

And at about 4pm, PKR election strategy director and Batu parliamentarian Tian Chua was arrested outside the state secretariat building.

The police informed him that the area had been cordoned off. The opposition politician told the police that he was there to greet his Pakatan colleagues.

Although he was accompanied by PKR treasurer and Selayang MP William Leong and several other party leaders, the police only detained him. He was forcefully dragged to an unmarked police vehicle.

Most of the elected representatives were however released by 4.30pm, said Salahuddin when contacted by Malaysiakini. But this did not include Tian Chua and Devaraj.

"About 30 of us have been released after our statements were recorded," he said.

The police also have started releasing the others in batches after taking down their particulars.

It could not be ascertained on the exact number of people arrested today by DAP leader put the number at about 64.

69 arrested, 54 released

In a late press conference, Perak police chief Zulkifli Abdullah said that a total of 69 people were arrested in Ipoh today for illegal assembly and breaching a court order which prohibited a gathering near the state secretariat. It also included a man who was arrested for sedition.

Of the 69, 10 were elected representatives, he said, adding that only one elected representative was still not released - Tian Chua.

However the police chief said Tian Chua would be released as soon as his statement has been taken, which could even be later tonight.

He also said in all a total of 54 people have been released on police bail. The others are expected to be released by tomorrow.

Zulkifli also explained the role of the police in forcibly removing state assembly speaker V Sivakumar from the sitting today.

He said that the police had entered the assembly to help the sergeant-at-arms to do their duties.

"Our actions were based on the request from (BN) speaker R Ganesan who asked for our help," he said.

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