Bersatu to file notices to vacate rebel reps' seats this week

The notice of vacancy for the seats of seven Bersatu representatives, whose memberships were voided, will be submitted to the legislative speakers of the Dewan Rakyat and the Selangor and Kelantan state assemblies this week.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, however, stated that his party will first inform the affected representatives soon.

“We will notify the speaker of the Malaysian Parliament regarding the cases of the six MPs and the speakers of the Selangor and Kelantan state assemblies regarding the two state assembly members for Selat Kelang and Nenggiri, Kelantan in the near future. God willing, this week.

“This follows the decision made by Bersatu through a constitutional amendment approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and the steps we are taking are all based on legal advice, which we consider to be in order, and we will send the letter to the speakers,” he said in a press conference after a Perikatan Nasional meeting in Kuala Lumpur late last night.

The MPs to be booted are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

Meanwhile, the assemblypersons are Azizi - who is also the Nenggiri state representative - and Selat Klang assemblyperson Abdul Rashid Asari.

All seven had declared support for the ruling Madani coalition.

Bersatu then amended their party rules, in which those who go against the party are deemed to have forfeited their membership.

The seven were then asked to affirm their loyalty to the party but reportedly did not do so, thus triggering the termination clause.

This rule, similar to those also implemented by DAP, Amanah, and Umno, seeks to trigger the anti-hopping law by having members forfeit their memberships instead of being sacked.

READ MORE: DAP, Umno anti-hopping measures at risk if Bersatu gambit fails

Slow and steady does it

Elaborating further, Muhyiddin said that before sending the notice of vacancy, his party needs to go through several processes to ensure it complies with party laws and the Federal Constitution.

“There is a complete process and procedure that we need to be cautious about and we do not want to rush, which is why we are taking the time to arrange everything properly.

“We do not want technical reasons to be cited, claiming that this action is not in accordance with the rules.

“We need to be careful, and we are confident that the steps taken by many parties are correct, orderly, in accordance with the Federal Constitution, follow the anti-hopping law, and aligned with the decision of the Registrar of Societies Malaysia, which agreed to the constitutional amendment of Bersatu,” he said.

This is Bersatu’s second attempt to oust rogue elected representatives through the anti-hopping law.

In the aftermath of the 15th general election, four Sabah MPs who were Bersatu members - together with the state’s Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) coalition - sided with Anwar.

Bersatu argued that was a clear case of party hopping and sought for the four to be expelled as MPs.

However, the four MPs claimed that they had become GRS direct members just before the elections and argued that they had contested under the GRS ticket, not Bersatu or PN.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul ruled in the GRS MPs’ favour.

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