Ousted 7 say they were waiting for Bersatu’s reply to queries

Their spokesman said they had raised questions about the legitimacy of the loyalty notice issued to them and about the special panel vetting the responses.

(FMT) – Seven “rebel” Bersatu elected representatives who failed to sign a party loyalty pledge on time say they had been waiting for a response from the party to their queries on the legitimacy of the notice sent to them.

Gua Musang MP Azizi Abu Naim, who said he was speaking on behalf of the group, said they had asked the party to explain the notice asking them to pledge loyalty.

That was why he did not respond to the notice before its May 31 deadline, he told TV3’s Buletin Utama last night.

Yesterday, Bersatu declared that the seven, comprising six MPs and a Selangor state assemblyman, were no longer party members for having failed to return the signed notice by May 31.

The notice contains instructions to uphold party loyalty and support its policies, while also signalling non-allegiance to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government. The elected representatives were given 14 days to state their stand.

Bersatu’s move to ensure party loyalty comes in the wake of the six MPs pledging support for Anwar, and a Selangor assemblyman to menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

Azizi said the group had sought an explanation from the party about “who are involved in the special committee tasked with scrutinising the responses to the notice”.

He said the group planned to respond to the notice only after the party had provided an explanation to their inquiries.
“On May 30, we were merely instructed to submit our response within the deadline. However, the party did not cooperate; they did not provide us with explanations to our inquiries,” he said.

Apart from Azizi, the other MPs who declared their support for Anwar are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang); Zahari Kechik (Jeli); Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang), while Selat Klang assemblyman Rashid Asari declared support for Selangor menteri besar Amiruddin Shaari.