Kelantan speaker announces Nenggiri state seat vacancy

Kelantan speaker Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah has announced the vacancy of the Nenggiri state seat today, effective immediately.

"I hereby declare in accordance with Clause 1 Article 31A (of the Kelantan state law) that there is an unexpected vacancy in the Nenggiri state assembly seat represented by Mohd Azizi (Abu Naim).

"Thus, according to Clause 4(4) Article 31A, vacant seats must be filled within 60 days from the date the Election Commission receives the vacancy notice," Amar (above) reportedly told a press conference in Kota Bharu today.

He said the decision was made after the Kelantan state assembly received a written notice under clause (3) of Article 31A of the State Constitution from Azizi on June 13.

Apart from that, he said Bersatu on June 12 also informed that Azizi’s membership had been revoked and subsequently the seat is vacant.

Azizi, who is also Gua Musang MP, was among the seven Bersatu lawmakers whose party membership was terminated for voicing support for the Madani government.

Aside from Azizi, the other representatives given the boot were Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Tanjong Karang MP Zulkafperi Hanapi, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, and Selat Klang assemblyperson Abdul Rashid Asari.

Azizi had contested under the PAS banner for the Perikatan Nasional coalition in the last general election.

Amar believes PAS can keep the seat when it goes to the polls.

"In Kelantan, we are confident that we can retain victory in Gua Musang and Nenggiri while the candidate will be determined by the highest level of the party.

"In this context, who is contesting, where the candidate is from, is usually up to the top leadership to decide," the PAS vice-president was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin welcomed the Kelantan state legislative assembly's move and said PN, which he also leads, is prepared to face a by-election in Nenggiri.

'I'm not surprised'

Harian Metro quoted Azizi as saying he was "not surprised" by the announcement.

"I'm not surprised because I expected such a thing would happen.

"I do not want to comment further, and will bring the matter to court," he added.

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

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

On May 17, Bersatu instructed all its elected representatives to reaffirm their loyalty to the party, with a special committee reviewing their loyalty pledges.

Muhyiddin had warned 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 continue as independent representatives.

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