PM says it's Bersatu's fault six MPs kept their seats

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has defended Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul's decision to reject Bersatu's bid to vacate the seats of six MPs who had been expelled from the party.

He also said it was Bersatu's fault that the six retained their seats.

Anwar cited Bersatu's rejection of a clause where MPs sacked from their parties would have lost their seats when the anti-hopping law was being formed.

“Bersatu objected to it, that’s why (sacked MPs) are exempted. So, you have to read the Federal Constitution,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Global Madani Forum in Kuala Lumpur today.

Anwar said Johari’s ruling would have taken into account all aspects of the Federal Constitution - something he accused Bersatu of picking and choosing when objecting to the speaker’s decision.

The exemption of sacked MPs from the anti-hopping law had led DAP, Umno, and other parties to form party rules in which MPs who went against the party are considered to have forfeited their membership.

This was meant to trigger the anti-hopping clause for MPs who leave their party.

Against Federal Constitution

Bersatu had enacted a similar rule this year after six of its MPs pledged support for Anwar without leaving the party.

The six reportedly refused to pledge their allegiance to the party after the rule was enacted, thus voiding their membership.

Johari, in rejecting the bid to vacate five of the six seats, however, argued that Bersatu’s forfeiture clause went against the Federal Constitution and Parliament’s guarantees that MPs have the freedom to speak, debate, and vote.

The speaker did not mention the timing of when Bersatu enacted the rule in justifying his ruling.

The ruling could mean that the loophole plugs employed by DAP and Umno, which are similar to Bersatu’s, are also defective.

READ MORE: Speaker opens floodgates for govt MPs to rebel without consequence

Meanwhile, in the case of Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman - one of the six - Johari said he would not make a ruling to avoid interfering with legal proceedings as the lawmaker is challenging his expulsion in court.

This sets a precedent that MPs can delay a ruling on whether their seats are vacated by filing suits against their parties.

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