Wan Junaidi: 'Bersatu 4' to lose seats upon formally leaving party

Editor's note: Added comments from Law Minister Azalina Othman Said.

The four Sabah MPs who left Bersatu have no choice but to vacate their seats once their exit from the party was formalised, said former law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Wan Junaidi, who was the minister that oversaw the passage of the anti-hopping law earlier this year, said the quartet's continued allegiance to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) did not matter.

The four had won their seats under a GRS ticket, which in turn is a formally registered political party that served as a coalition platform for Sabah Bersatu and four Sabah-based parties.

On Dec 10, all Sabah Bersatu lawmakers in the state - except for Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee - left the party while pledging support for GRS.

For Wan Junaidi, the law placed importance on the party and not coalition membership.

"The law speaks about the person coming out from one party to become independent or become another member of another party.

"So it doesn't make any difference whether he or she belongs to the government coalition and stays in the coalition," he said, according to Malay Mail.

He stressed that as long the four remained members of Bersatu, they need not vacate their seats, even if they do not toe the party line.

Political stability

According to FMT, Wan Junaidi also dismissed suggestions that the law will view Sabah Bersatu as an entity that was separate from the main body.

"I designed the law to prohibit such things from happening and to create political stability in the country," he said.

The four MPs in question are Armizan Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) and Matbali Musah (Sipitang).

Malaysiakini has attempted to seek comment from Bersatu secretary-general Hamzah Zainuddin to ascertain the status of the four.

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi's successor Azalina Othman Said told reporters today that the matter was outside her authority, and now in the hands of the attorney-general and the Dewan Rakyat speaker.

"I am waiting to see the legal opinion of the attorney-general's office. Second, I think the speaker (of the Dewan Rakyat) has the final say (on invoking) Article 49A of the Federal Constitution.

"(That article) sets out several stipulations. This is outside my scope to comment. I look forward to hearing the legal opinion of the attorney-general," she told the press at the sidelines of the UN Human Rights Day forum in Kuala Lumpur.

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