Bersatu issues termination notices to its rogue reps

Bersatu has issued termination notices to six more of its elected representatives who have pledged support for the ruling Madani government.

In a statement today, party secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said termination notices for the six were delivered today.

Their Bersatu memberships would be terminated with immediate effect, citing a violation of Article 10.4 of the party constitution.

For Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Hamzah (above) said the notice of his immediate termination was issued earlier on May 17 for violating Article 10.2.6 of the constitution.

“The entire process is done in accordance with the party constitution and national laws as provided under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution and/or relevant state laws,” he said in a statement today.

Apart from Suhaili, the other elected representatives involved are Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Gua Musang MP and Nenggiri assemblyperson Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, Tanjong Karang MP Zulkafperi Hanapi, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, and Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid.

This move to serve termination notices ahead of the upcoming parliamentary sitting later this month paves the way for the party to declare their seats vacant.

Yesterday, following a Perikatan Nasional supreme council meeting, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said his party will inform the affected representatives that their memberships have been voided.

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After that, the party will give a notice of vacancy for their seats to the the legislative speakers of the Dewan Rakyat and the Selangor and Kelantan state assemblies this week.

Bersatu earlier amended its party constitution to stipulate that any elected representative who defected would automatically cease to be a member of the party.

In doing so, the defectors will also trigger the anti-hopping law per Article 49A of the Federal Constitution and their seats will be vacated.

The amendment to Bersatu’s constitution was approved by the Registrar of Societies in April.

Then, on May 17, Bersatu instructed all its elected representatives to reaffirm their loyalty to the party, with a special committee reviewing their loyalty pledges, and Muhyiddin warning that disobedience would result in the automatic termination of their membership.

Despite the move aimed at vacating the seats of the renegade representatives and triggering by-elections, some experts have voiced scepticism on whether it would work and opined that the terminated members would simply continue as independent representatives.

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