Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian opposition lawmakers from the northern state of Perak held an emergency meeting Tuesday under a tree after police blocked them from entering the state parliament in a political drama that has gripped the nation for more than a month.

A minor scuffle broke out when 28 legislators from the People's Alliance along with supporters arrived at the state assembly building, only to be blocked by supporters of the ruling National Front coalition.

Riot police had earlier set up road blocks leading to the building and had told the opposition lawmakers they were not allowed to enter.

However, the group retreated to a vacant parking lot some 200 metres from the building, where they held the meeting under a tree.

The political drama unfolding in Perak stems from claims by both sides that they have the right to rule the state, which currently has no functioning government.

Perak was one out of five states that was controlled by the opposition, led by former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, since last year's March general elections.

The elections saw the ruling government suffering unprecedented losses, as it failed to retain its two-thirds majority in parliament.

However, in January, three opposition lawmakers in Perak defected, giving the ruling coalition the same number of state seats. The state ruler, Sultan Azlan Shah, then gave his consent to the National Front to form the new government.

The move prompted the People's Alliance to claim that the sultan acted unconstitutionally without waiting for a vote of confidence in the state assembly.

In a further act of defiance against the newly formed government, the lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution of confidence in the opposition-led government.

However, it is unlikely that the session will result in a return of power to the embattled opposition. (dpa)