KUALA LUMPUR: The six former Bersatu MPs will continue to serve as Independents, after Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul ruled that they need not vacate their seats despite them ceasing to be members of the party.
“We would not join another party,” said Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman, who is one of the six MPs.
“Article 49(A) of the Federal Constitution is clear. We cannot join another party,” he said, referring to the Anti-Hopping Law.
He maintained that their move to support Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government was merely to seek funds for their constituents.
“We were only fighting for allocation to serve the people in our constituencies, (but) this has resulted in us becoming Independents,” he told reporters yesterday.
He claimed that Bersatu was unable to resolve the allocation problem.
“The party was not able to give us allocations. We have asked our president. We waited for a year. All we got was empty promises,” he claimed.
Suhaili said that all six of them had made clear in their letter to the Speaker that they were loyal members of Bersatu, under which they were elected.
“But the leadership of the party did not accept that,” he said.
The other five MPs are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abu Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang).
In his Wednesday ruling that the six men would keep their seats, Johari cited a clause in the Bersatu constitution which he deemed as having denied the rights of these MPs to the privileges of freedom of speech and voting rights, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and the Dewan Rakyat Standing Orders.
The situation involving the six MPs remained a contentious issue in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday with Perikatan Nasional leaders such as Hamzah, Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (Beluran) and Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (Kota Baru) questioning Johari’s decision.
This prompted a retort from Johari.
“I am not a ‘postman’. When the matter was brought up to me, I gave it thorough scrutiny – including aspects regarding the anti-hopping law.
“Hence, I made the decision to maintain the seats, which I have informed Beluran (Kiandee),” he said.
A letter dated July 9 was sent by Johari to Kiandee, who is Bersatu chief whip, about his decision as the Speaker concerning the six lawmakers.
Kiandee accused Johari of going beyond his powers in making the decision, saying that the Speaker had gone against the Federal Constitution.
“On top of that, you have disputed the amendment of the Bersatu constitution which had been approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS),” he said.
“How do you reconcile this, Tan Sri?” he asked.
In April 2, the ROS gave its nod to Bersatu to amending its party constitution on the revocation of membership of elected representatives who go against the party’s stand.
Takiyuddin asked if the decision on the six MPs would set a “binding precedent”.
Hamzah, who is Opposition Leader, said the Speaker’s “wrong decision” had sullied the laws of the country.
“Tan Sri, you want to be the best Speaker, but you created this problem. I ask you to understand that your decision was wrong. Thank you and I will leave the House now,” he said.
At a press conference later, Hamzah said Johari’s decision did not uphold the supremacy of the Constitution.
“He is supposed to be non- partisan,” he said.
Takiyuddin said Perikatan MPs would begin wearing white armbands as a sign of protest.
