Let Speaker decide on rogue Bersatu reps’ seats, says Anwar

PETALING JAYA: The Dewan Rakyat Speaker should be allowed to decide on the vacancies of the six parliamentary seats held by rogue Bersatu members, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

On June 20, Bersatu parliamentary whip Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee said a notice on the vacancies of Jeli, Gua Musang, Bukit Gantang, Kuala Kangsar, Tanjong Karang and Labuan seats was received by the Speaker’s Office.

The Nenggiri seat, held by Mohd Azizi Abu Naim, was declared vacant by Kelantan state assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah after the former lost his Bersatu membership.

Mohd Azizi, who is also Gua Musang MP, had failed to respond to an official letter requiring him to pledge his loyalty to the party by May 31.

Aside from Mohd Azizi, Bersatu earlier in the month declared that five other MPs and a Selangor assemblyman also ceased being party members after failing to respond to letters requiring them to pledge loyalty to the party.

The representatives are Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal, Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang) and Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.

This comes after Bersatu successfully amended its constitution where party members will automatically cease to be members if they go against the party’s decisions, and its elected representatives must subsequently vacate their seats.

More to come