Malaysian police arrested dozens of protesters on Thursday, including three opposition MPs, in a standoff in the northwestern city of Ipoh over who rules peninsular Malaysia’s second largest state.
Witnesses saw police, backed by water cannon, surround the state legislature with barbed wire and prevent opposition MPs from gaining access to the legislature, which was holding its first session since the state government was ousted.
They completely cleared a 500 metre exclusion zone around the state building, snatching anyone wearing black, the colour chosen by the opposition to protest against the takeover.
Perak has become the focal point of tensions between the opposition and the National Front government that has ruled Malaysia for 51 years following the takeover of the state government in a move orchestrated by Najib Razak, the country’s new prime minister.
Read Perak Assembly Chaos
Popularity: 3% [?]
The results do not change the balance of power at federal or state level but serve as an unofficial referendum on Najib’s popularity. The ruling National Front coalition downplayed the loss, saying Najib was yet to make his mark.
A survey of registered voters in Perak on Feb 8 showed that:












