KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu has notified the Dewan Rakyat Speaker of the terminated memberships of six MPs who went against the party.
Party chief whip Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the Speaker’s office received the notices today.
He called them “notices of seat vacancies” which he said were issued in accordance with anti-party hopping provisions under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution.
He also highlighted how the Kelantan legislative assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had yesterday declared the Nenggiri state seat vacant following membership termination notices from its assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim and from Bersatu.
With this, Kiandee said, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul “has no choice but to declare the six parliamentary seats vacant and to inform the Election Commission (EC) to plan for by-elections.”
The vacancy must be declared within 21 days after receiving the notices in accordance with constitutional provisions, Kiandee added.
The notices submitted to Johari were for six lawmakers – Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang) and for Azizi, who is also Gua Musang MP.
These six MPs – and Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari – had previously declared support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but did not leave Bersatu.
Following amendments to its party constitution, Bersatu terminated their memberships after they failed to respond to a written instruction from the party’s leadership council to pledge allegiance to the party.
On Abdul Rashid, Selangor Speaker Lau Weng San said his office had yet to receive any notice about his membership termination.
The federal anti-hopping law does not require a seat vacancy if an elected representative is sacked by their party but a seat becomes vacant if a lawmaker resigns or ceases to be a member of the party. – June 20, 2024