Chow tells defected Penang Bersatu reps to vacate seats
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow will table a motion at the coming state legislative assembly to urge the two Bersatu assemblypersons who defected to vacate their seats.
Chow (photo) said the move was in line with Section 14A of the Penang Constitution where defecting assemblypersons are required to vacate their seats.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow will table a motion at the coming state legislative assembly to urge the two Bersatu assemblypersons who defected to vacate their seats.
Chow (photo) said the move was in line with Section 14A of the Penang Constitution where defecting assemblypersons are required to vacate their seats.
He added this was in accordance with the Penang Constitutional Enactment (Amendment) 2012, which is related to anti-party hopping.
This may pave the way for by-elections in Bertam held by Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq and Teluk Bahang's Zolkifly Md Lazim.
"The state government will file a motion in the coming state legislative assembly for them to vacate the seats," Chow said at a press conference at the DAP state headquarters in Rangoon Road today.
Chow said the duo will be compelled to vacate their seats if the majority of the 40-member legislative assembly supports the motion to vacate the seat.
However, they can challenge the decision in court.
The duo changed alliance to Perikatan Nasional despite having pledged their support to Chow twice when Bersatu departed from Pakatan Harapan in March.
Meanwhile, Chow noted that Penang Bersatu chairperson Marzuki Yahya has stated that Penang Bersatu officially supports Pakatan Harapan.
"We agree to maintain the Pakatan Harapan + Bersatu formula where Bersatu members who clearly support Harapan would still be considered as a member of the government," Chow said.
"However, the move by the two Bersatu representatives who defected is clearly against their own party and Harapan's stand in Penang," he added.
"Therefore, we have decided to strip them of their position as government representatives, they will also lose all rights pertaining to their positions, which will be cancelled immediately," he stressed.
As for Seberang Jaya assemblyperson Dr Afif Bahardin (photo), who has been suspended from PKR, his membership with Harapan will also be on hold.
Likewise, all rights and positions pertaining to his previous membership in Harapan will be suspended until a final decision has been made with regards to Afif's status.
"To manage the three constituencies, we have decided that Muhammad Bakthiar Wan Chik will oversee Teluk Bahang, Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman for Bertam and Nurul Izzah Anwar for Seberang Jaya," Chow said.
Bakhtiar and Nurul Izzah are currently MPs for Balik Pulau and Permatang Pauh, respectively, while Zakiyuddin, the Deputy Chief Minister I, is the assemblyperson for Penaga.
"The salaries of the affected assemblypersons and their allocations will continue as usual, but the latter will be given to the adun angkat (replacement assemblypersons)," he added.
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