Penang should withdraw motion to disqualify us from our seats, Bersatu reps say after Federal Court decision
“If the Penang state government is genuine in its claim and in the spirit of bipartisanship, we believe that the motions to disqualify us should be withdrawn”
(MMO) – The Penang state government should withdraw its motion to disqualify the four Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia assemblymen from their seats, the representatives said in a joint statement today.
The four assemblymen pointed out that the Penang chief minister has said the state government intended to bring the state constitution in line with the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution.
“If the Penang state government is genuine in its claim and in the spirit of bipartisanship, we believe that the motions to disqualify us should be withdrawn,” they said.
“This is simply because under the proposed amendments we would not be subject to these disqualifications,” they added.
The four Penang state assemblymen, Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam), Zolkifli Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang), Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh) and Dr Afif Bahardin (Sebarang Jaya) issued the statement following the Federal Court declaration yesterday that the state’s anti-party hopping law is constitutional and a valid law.
In its decision yesterday, the Apex court states that “Article 14A of the Penang State Constitution is not void as it is not inconsistent with Article 10(1)(c) of the Federal Constitution”.
Article 14A(1) of the state constitution provides that a member of the legislative assembly shall vacate his seat if having been elected as a candidate of a political party, he resigns or is expelled from or ceases to be a member of the party.
