KUALA LUMPUR – Two Bersatu MPs who support the prime minister are ready to vacate their seats and face elections.
Bukit Gantang lawmaker Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Gua Mustang MP Azizi Abu Naim told a press conference today that they were prepared for this as the opposition party plans to amend its constitution to this effect at a special assembly this Saturday.
“The party constitution has no clause for a lawmaker to vacate their seat if they stop supporting Bersatu. Since we are supporting the prime minister, let us see what happens,” Syed Husin told the media in Parliament today.
“If we are sacked and lose our seats, we will take the matter to court, and if that fails, we are willing to let voters decide in by-elections,” he added.
He said he and Azizi shared this view, stressing that he was not speaking on behalf of other Bersatu MPs who had also switched their support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim without leaving the party.
Azizi said he was willing to face any eventuality, even if it meant vacating his seat.
Bersatu is to hold a special assembly this Saturday for the purpose of amending its constitution to prevent more of its lawmakers from switching support without leaving the party.
Existing anti-hopping laws state that a lawmaker loses his or her seat if they jump to another party or quit their party, but not if they are sacked. It does not address lawmakers who defy party orders yet remain in the organisation – a loophole that saw DAP amend its constitution to cover this gap.
In recent months, a total of six Bersatu MPs have switched support to Anwar’s administration while remaining in the opposition party.
Besides Syed Husin and Azizi, they are Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang). – February 29, 2024