We will only take orders from the Speaker, says Gua Musang MP on calls to vacate his seat

The seven Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) elected representatives, who declared their support for the unity government, will not submit to the demands by the party for them to vacate their seats.

(NST) – Gua Musang member of Parliament Mohd Azizi Abu Naim stressed that only the Dewan Rakyat speaker and the speaker of the state assembly involved have the authority to instruct him and the other elected representatives to relinquish their seats.

Bersatu and the party’s information chief, Datuk Razali Idris, said Mohd Azizi, has no authority to do so.

“Only the Speaker has the right to instruct me and my friends to vacate our seats.

“Even so, a parliamentary or state seat will only be declared vacant if the elected representative dies, becomes unsound of mind, or is declared bankrupt.

Mohd Azizi was asked to comment on the calls made by Razali, who told the six Bersatu MPs, dubbed as ‘Bersatu rebels’, to vacate their seats.

Razali said the six MPs should ‘act like gentlemen’ and that they do not need to wait for a letter from the party to take action.

Mohd Azizi said Razali’s statement was an attempt by the latter to gain popularity.

“Until today, I have not received any notice from the party. Not only me, but my other colleagues as well.

“What I want to focus on now is working for the people; I do not want to entertain any statements that could waste time because this is the time for me to work.”

Apart from Mohd Azizi, the other Bersatu elected representatives who have declared their support for the unity government are Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjung Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.