He is expected to chair an Exco meeting at noon, reported The New Straits Times. NST said the situation around the state secretariat building is calm with a small number of policemen seen at the entrance.

It is back to status quo in Perak following a Court of Appeal's decision on Tuesday to allow stay of execution of a High Court ruling that Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was the rightful Menteri Besar on Monday.

The political tussle over control of Perak deepened on Tuesday after a court agreed to review a ruling that handed power back to the opposition alliance.

In the latest twist in the battle for northern Perak state, the Barisan Nasional coalition, which rules nationally, won an order to delay Monday's High Court decision that its takeover of the state in February was illegal.

'The circumstances of this case are very unique,' said appeals court judge Ramly Mohamad Ali, adding that a date would be set for the appeal hearing.

Perak has been in limbo since defections cost the Pakatan Rakyat opposition its balance of power in the state which it won in general elections last year, and its chief minister Nizar Jamaluddin was sacked by the Perak sultan.

Barisan Nasional ruled out holding fresh polls, installed its own leader Zambry Abdul Kadir, and reconvened the state assembly last week in a move which triggered brawling inside the chamber and dozens of arrests outside.

Malaysia's top legal body has warned against a lengthy legal process and said that only new elections would resolve the impasse.

'Power has to be returned to where it rightly belongs - in the hands of the people,' the Bar Council said.