Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Elizabeth Wong:- Resignation is definitely not the answer.

There was concern about the stance of Anwar, the leadership of PKR and the leaders of Pakatan Rakyat..

Would they be asking Elizabeth to stay on and fight - and not let these kind 'dirty tactics' force her out of the EXCO ... and as a ADUN..

PKR defacto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has rejected Elizabeth Wong's offer to resign as an Selangor exco and Bukit Lanjan assemblyman over her nude pictures.

Anwar said he had told her to rethink her option while on leave.

"Azizah (PRK chief Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail) and I will meet up with her again to discuss and see what is best for her. I have asked her to rethink her option," he said during a packed press conference at the Parliament lobby. - The New Straits Times, 17/2/2009,
Anwar rejects Elizabeth Wong's offer to quit
And later, there was another statement in Anwar's blog - or was it the same statement, and NST misreported about all that asking her '... to rethink her option while on leave...',

—PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—
Parliament House, 17th February 2009

The last few days must have been trying and stressful for her and her family. We hope the mass media will give her the breathing space she deserves.

I refer to the statement released by our Elizabeth Wong today wherein she has offered her resignation as State Executive Councillor and Bukit Lanjan Assemblywoman.

I can only use the strongest possible terms to condemn the smear tactics used against her. One can only wonder to what depths the people behind this will stoop to achieve their aims.

Elizabeth Wong has spoken at length to Azizah and me. We have discussed the issues and we understand her reasons and the decision she has taken.

ANWAR IBRAHIM
KeADILan De Facto Leader

Has Elizabeth Wong resigned as ADUN for Bukit Lanjan?

She made a public statement offering her resignation...but alas that is just an offer to resign...not a resignation.

Art 68 of the Selangor State Constitution states that resignation by an ADUN is '...by writing under his[her] hand, addressed to the Speaker. So there must be a letter of resignation addressed to the Speaker. Was there such a letter.

The Election Commission is already talking about the posibility of Bukit Lanjan by-elections being on the same day and time as the other 2 by elections. Mmmm...so we will have by-elections in Perak, Kedah....and now maybe Selangor. But, the EC guy also stated that he had not yet received any official/formal notification.

Some say that Eli Wong should resign ...and then run again as a candidate in the by-elections.

But, alas Art. 64(5) of the Selangor State Constitution states that "a person who resigns his membership of the Legislative Assembly of this State or any other State, shall, for a period of five years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the Legislative Assembly of this State."

This is similar to Art. 48(6) of our Federal Constitution, which deals with MPs...

(6) A person who resigns his membership of the House of Representatives shall, for a period of five years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the House of Representatives.

I, who may not be privy to other reasons that made her offer to resign, state that I believe that she should not resign.

Go back to your constituents - ask them what they would like you to do? They chose you as their representative - and we all know that you are human - not a saint. Worse still, in this case, you did no wrong ...and in fact, you said so ..."I have done nothing wrong...I wish to state that I am not ashamed of my sexuality as a woman and as a single person....".

Therefore, stick to your principles and certainly do not resign as the ADUN of Bukit Lanjan...

Continue to serve the people...

Remember that everyone who stands out risk being the victim of all kinds of mud-slinging. Best to not bother at all. Do not even waste time answering or justifying anything - Just continue the work for justice and human rights...

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