Nizar moves out of MB's residence

IPOH: After the fanfare of the last 17 days, Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin moved out of the menteri besar's official residence in Jalan Raja DiHilir yesterday.

He, his wife Datin Seri Fatimah Taat and their seven children moved to a newly-rented bungalow in Sungai Rokam, about 3km from the official residence, at 11.45am.

As they drove out, about 100 members of Pas' Unit Amal shouted Takbir and Allahu Akbar.

Earlier, Nizar said his departure from the official residence was not a sign that he had been defeated by Barisan Nasional, adding that he did so because he respected the law.

"I have not conceded defeat and I urge bloggers and reporters to tell the people that I will come back to the residence once again as the people's menteri besar. My plea to all of you is to tell the world truthfully what had happened since Feb 1," he said, referring to the day when speaker V. Sivakumar declared the state seats of Behrang and Changkat Jering vacant.
He said he would hand over the keys to the official residence to State Secretary Datuk Abdul Rahman Hashim on Feb 27, adding that Pakatan Rakyat would continue to hold meetings at offices of state Pakatan partners.

Reporters and photographers who had followed Nizar to his new home were not allowed to enter the premises.

The official residence had been crowded with hundreds of PR supporters after BN took over the Perak government on Feb 6.

Nizar and PR leaders turned the official residence into an operations centre, where meetings and ceramah were held regularly to chart out survival strategies.