"Ill-mannered and disrespectful", was how Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abdul Kadir termed the black attire the opposition assemblypersons wore at the opening of the state legislative assembly session in Ipoh yesterday.

He also expressed his disappointment over their disrespect for Sultan Nazrin Shah as the event marked the maiden attendance of the ruler as the 35th sultan of Perak.

"They are required to be in the ceremonial attire and I cannot accept any of their excuses.

"To me, it is a discourteous act to the royal institution, more so as it is a very historic event because (Tuanku) officiated the sitting as the sultan and was clad in ruler's attire ... but the opposition members wore black symbolising death, sadness, darkness and mourning," he told reporters after the opening ceremony.

He said their action caused the sultan to skip the photography session and reception after the opening ceremony.

"Tuanku was hoping to have the photography session for the first time and in his royal address he mentioned that the official opening of the assembly was historic for him as sultan," Zambry said.

Zambry ( right ) did not rule out the possibility that the opposition assemblymen would apologise to the sultan but said their action showed their true colours.

A total of 26 opposition assemblymen attired in black arrived in a group at the compound of the Perak Darul Ridzuan building yesterday morning.

Earlier, at a separate media conference, Perak Opposition Leader Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said their black attire was a mark of protest and solidarity for imprisoned PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

"Thirteen Perak PAS members were also arrested on Feb 26, 2009, and jailed and forced to pay various fines and currently they are being imprisoned in Kajang for 10 months," he added.

He said the protest was also to express the opposition's anger over the hike in prices of goods and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Wednesday.

- Bernama