PETALING JAYA: Umno's legal bureau is checking if anti-party hopping laws apply to Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, says Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
"Umno's legal bureau has been asked to study the implications of anti-party hopping laws – including the position of senator – to ensure that the next course of action complies with the legal framework.
"Each minister is appointed as a representative of their respective party. Umno remains committed towards serving the nation in the unity government setting and will continue to fulfil the people's mandate," said the Umno information chief on Sunday(June 1).
Azalina, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), said she and Umno respect the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister's decision but stressed that Cabinet positions are given based on party mandate and not in a personal capacity.
Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani and Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan had said that Tengku Zafrul was not bound by anti-party hopping laws because he is not an elected representative.
Bernama reported Mohamad as saying that the pledge signed by Tengku Zafrul as a Barisan Nasional candidate in the 15th General Election could not be enforced as well because he did not win the seat he contested.
"That (the pledge) is not included within the scope of the agreement because Tengku Zafrul did not win the election. That is a pledge made by an elected representative, a state assemblyman or a Member of Parliament.
"If they win, the seat belongs to the party, not the individual. If the candidate wins, they sign many agreements, including reimbursing costs incurred by the party.
"Tengku Zafrul did not win. He became a minister on the basis of being a senator," he told reporters after a luncheon on Saturday (May 31).
