Fate of Bersatu's Kuala Kangsar MP who supported PM to be decided tonight, says Wan Saiful

KUALA LUMPUR: The fate of Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain, who recently expressed support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be made known Thursday (Oct 26) night, says Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan.

The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) supreme council member said that the party was expected to make a decision on the type of action to be taken against Iskandar during a meeting scheduled to be held at 8pm at its party headquarters.

"Our president has informed us that a decision will be made and discussed tonight. Let us all wait for it," he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Thursday.

Pressed on whether the Kuala Kangsar MP be sacked from the party, Wan Saiful said that he did not wish to pre-empt the outcome of the meeting.

"I expect there will be a decision. Some of our party leaders have aired their views publicly. But of course, I do not want to pre-empt anything," he said.

Wan Saiful said that Iskandar was in touch with several leaders from Bersatu.

"Let us hear his explanation and hear from his side tonight. I am not sure why he is absent from Parliament," added Wan Saiful.

He also stressed that the party was aware of the "pressure" put on him.

"So all of these will be considered during tonight's meeting," added Wan Saiful.

Since pledging his support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership on Oct 12, the Kuala Kangsar MP had not attended any Dewan Rakyat sittings to date, according to the Parliament Hansard.

Checks on Hansard records as of Oct 25 showed that Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid was only present in the House on Oct 9, 10 and 11.

Despite declaring support for Anwar, Iskandar was also not present in the House when Budget 2024 was tabled by the Prime Minister on Oct 13.

Standing Order 91 states that an MP shall inform the Parliament Secretary as early as possible of his inability to attend any meeting of the House.

However, during Parliament sittings from Oct 12 to 24, Iskandar only used Standing Order 91 on Oct 19 and 24.

Iskandar has remained hidden from the limelight after declaring support for Anwar on Oct 12, but on Oct 17, he told The Star that he wasn’t pressured into supporting the unity government.

Iskandar also denied allegations that he was threatened with corruption charges.