Abu Hasan is still Kota Siputeh rep, rules court

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here ruled that the Kota Siputeh state seat in Kedah was not vacant as its assemblyman Datuk Abu Hasan Sarif was not absent for two consecutive meetings of the Kedah legislative assembly in 2009.

In a 4-1 majority decision yesterday, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin declared that the two days – April 19 and Aug 9, 2009 – that Abu Hasan did not attend the state assembly without leave from the Kedah Assembly Speaker, were not consecutive meetings in a session.