After Perak vote, PPBM assemblyman suffers fallout

(FMT) – The validity of Titi Serong assemblyman Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim’s membership in PPBM is hanging in the balance pending a decision on how he voted on a confidence motion in the Perak state assembly on Dec 4.

PPBM secretary-general Hamzah Zainudin said the party’s constitution stated that any member found to be not toeing the party line would automatically have his or her membership dropped.

“Maybe after this, Perak Umno would send evidence to us (that Hasnul Zulkarnain did not support the motion). If it is proven, it automatically comes into effect. We have taken similar actions at national level, there is no exception at division or state level,” he said.

Hasnul has been quoted in several news portals as saying that he was waiting for a decision by the party after being accused of rejecting the vote of confidence in Ahmad Faizal Azumu as menteri besar.

The motion was defeated by 48 votes to 10 with one abstention, leading to Faizal’s resignation and the formation of a new state government this week.

Hasnul joined PPBM on June 3. He had been a member of Amanah before but left the party on March 9 to sit as an independent following the political realignment that led to a new Perikatan Nasional state government being formed.

Hamzah, who is also Larut MP, had recently called for a formal charter to symbolise the coalition of PN, Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

“When I moot it, nobody can accuse me of raising issues like the small eating the big as there are responsibilities for each party to come together,” he said.

His suggestion came in the wake of Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin saying another new coalition was unnecessary.