KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu’s remaining MPs and state assemblymen, who did not declare support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, have vowed to stay loyal to their party.
A total of 83 elected representatives – 25 MPs and 58 assemblymen – signed a special order by the party’s supreme council to affirm their loyalty.
In a statement, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said all 83 representatives at the federal and state levels met the deadline yesterday after being given 14 days to do so.
“The supreme council’s special order is done in line with the amendments to Bersatu’s constitution that were approved by the Registrar of Societies and follows Article 49A of the Federal Constitution relating to anti-hopping.
“It must be reminded that, following Article 10.4 of Bersatu’s constitution, the failure of a representative to comply with the supreme council’s directive will result in the termination of their party membership,” Muhyiddin said.
As a result of this statement, six Bersatu MPs who declared support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim are no longer members of the party.
The six MPs are: Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abu Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
The party’s Selat Klang assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, also announced his backing for Anwar’s government, claiming that his move was due to Perikatan Nasional’s silence amid accusations thrown at the Malay rulers.
In March, Bersatu amended Article 10 of its constitution to automatically terminate the membership of elected representatives if they support any other party or policy not aligned with Bersatu’s position.
Muhyiddin previously said that once the Registrar of Societies approves the amendment, Bersatu would seek to vacate the six parliamentary seats currently held by MPs who remained in the party but had publicly supported Anwar and the unity government. – June 1, 2024