ALOR SETAR: A Kedah assemblyman sacked by his party and made an independent elected representative has retained his post as a state executive councillor.
Another assemblyman who faced the same fate remains Deputy Speaker of the Kedah state assembly.
Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said Suka Menanti assemblyman Dzowahir Ab Ghani and Sungai Tiang assemblyman Abdul Razak Khamis would continue in their posts despite being expelled from Bersatu.
Dzowahir is state agriculture, plantation and transport committee chairman, while Abdul Razak is Deputy Speaker of the Kedah state assembly.
“The two assemblymen remain in their positions as of now. There is no need to change them.
“They can carry on with their work as usual. Those who were sacked are all okay. Their work is good,” he said after handing over cattle for Hari Raya Aidiladha at Seri Mentaloon here on Monday (May 25).
Kedah’s Darul Aman Information Secretariat reported that Sanusi had said the state administration was running smoothly and the expulsions did not affect Kedah’s stability.
Sanusi said he had informed the PAS central working committee at a special meeting in Terengganu on Sunday (May 24) that Kedah had no political issues.
“There is indeed an exco member and a deputy speaker from Bersatu who were sacked, but the state is stable.
“Relations between parties here are good,” he said.
Sanusi denied claims that he was under pressure after Bersatu took disciplinary action against the two representatives.
“There is no pressure. I am good with everyone and there is no problem.
“As Mentri Besar, I want to make sure the state remains stable and peaceful, and that work goes on smoothly. The state administration is running well and blessings are flowing,” he said.
Sanusi said his political remarks when speaking at ceramah should be viewed separately from his role as Mentri Besar because he was also PAS election director.
“As election director, I have another role. I have to go for the ceramah because that role is there.
“When I wear that hat, I will talk about politics,” he said.
Bersatu had earlier asked the Kedah government to replace the exco member and deputy speaker before their expulsion.
Sanusi had said at the time that he took no action because Dzowahir and Abdul Razak had not faced any party discipline then.
After Bersatu sacked the two assemblymen on May 8, Sanusi said the state government would do what was necessary, including seeking an audience with Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah to deliberate on the matter.
He had said the two men were not part of the opposition, but independent assemblymen supporting the state government.
Bersatu sacked Dzowahir and Abdul Razak under Clause 22.5 of the party constitution for allegedly breaching Clause 9.1.4 and the party’s code of ethics and conduct.
Seven others had their membership rights suspended for two party election terms, including Chenderoh assemblyman Syed Lukman Hakim Syed Mohd Zain, Tanah Merah MP Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, Rompin MP Khalib Abdullah and Lumut MP Nordin Ahmad Ismail.
Kedah’s case appears unusual because independent assemblymen in Malaysia rarely hold state government posts.
Earlier known cases involved representatives who left or were sacked from their posts shortly after becoming independent.
