Hamzah We’ll serve Bersatu rebels notice to vacate seats next week

By admin-s On May 9, 2024

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) will serve notices to its seven elected representatives, who declared their support for the unity government, compelling them to vacate their parliamentary and state seats next week.

(NST) – Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the notices will be sent simultaneously to all the seven elected representatives after the conclusion of the Kuala Kubu Baharu state seat by-election, which has been fixed for polling this Saturday (May 11).

The Opposition leader said Bersatu, among other things, is clear with its decision to terminate the membership of Labuan member of Parliament, Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman, who was among the earliest of the seven elected representatives to announce his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.

“Suhaili will be the first to receive the notice because there are certain matters (because of his action). Decision (on Suhaili’s fate) has been made, and we are waiting for the confirmation from the Bersatu Supreme Council.

“Two of the elected representatives (Tanjong Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi and Selat Kelang state assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari) appeared and gave ceramah at events organised by Pakatan Harapan (PH) (in Kuala Kubu Baharu).

“According to our (Bersatu’s) Constitution, their (Zulkafperi and Abdul Rashid) membership will be automatically stripped from the party. Therefore, we will also raise this matter with the party’s supreme council,” he told reporters after attending a ceramah by the pact last night.

Apart from Suhaili and Zulkafperi, the other MPs, dubbed as Bersatu rebels, who declared their support for Anwar were Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar).

Hamzah added that all the ‘rogue’ MPs and state assemblyman must vacate their seats to give way for a by-election after their memberships have been revoked from the party.

“According to the Act (anti-hopping law) which has been approved, they (the seven elected representatives) ceased to be party members. That means they have to vacate their seats.”

Asked on the possibility of the seven representatives taking the matter to court, Hamzah described such action as normal.

“After their membership has been revoked, they want to take the matter to court… That is normal,” he said.

Last month, Hamzah said the party would serve notices to the seven elected representatives after the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election.

The party’s supreme council, he said, is expected to convene a meeting after the May 11 by-election to discuss the next course of action against the party rebels.