Honour anti-hopping law, declare Bersatu rebels’ seats vacant, say NGOs

(From left) Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) are among seven Bersatu elected representatives who refused to pledge their loyalty to the party despite a recent party order.

PETALING JAYA:

A coalition of civil society groups has urged Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul to declare as vacant the seats of four Bersatu MPs whose party memberships have been terminated.

The four MPs, who have declared support for the unity government, are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

The Seed Community for a Professional Parliament (SCPP) also called on Selangor state assembly speaker Lau Weng San to do the same for the Selat Klang seat, represented by Abdul Rashid Asari.

The NGOs pointed out that the Bersatu elected representatives had failed to comply with a party order to pledge their loyalty to Bersatu, which led to their memberships being automatically terminated.

They urged the legislative speakers to honour the provisions of Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, commonly known as the anti-hopping law, and inform the Election Commission of the vacancy of the seats.

“As the four MPs and the Selangor assemblyman were elected as Perikatan Nasional members by way of their Bersatu membership, the relinquishment of the latter causes their seats to be vacated by the force of Article 49A(1)(a) of the Federal Constitution and the corresponding provisions in the Selangor state constitution.

“Johari and Lau should duly inform the EC of the five seats’ vacancies within 21 days from the notice by Bersatu (of the four MPs and assemblyman’s relinquishment of their party memberships),” they said in a statement.

Meanwhile, SCPP said Gua Musang MP and Nenggiri assemblyman Azizi Abu Naim and Jeli MP Zahari Kechik need not have their seats vacated since they were elected on a PAS ticket.

The two Bersatu members had also pledged their support for the unity government previously and refused to state their loyalty to their party.

The NGOs, however, urged the pair to resign to trigger by-elections and allow voters to decide who should represent them.

“If the provisions in Bersatu’s constitution are ineffective from causing seat vacancies in virtual crossovers, DAP, Amanah and Umno could also face the same fate.

“Treacherous acts to selectively disable the anti-hopping law will invite a return of the political instability seen from 2018 to 2021, but would also greatly damage public confidence and respect for political parties, lawmakers and multiparty democracy,” they said.

SCPP includes the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, Bait al-Amanah, Bersih, Undi19, Projek Sama as well as activists Lim Chee Han and Maha Balakrishnan.

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Honour anti-hopping law, declare Bersatu rebels’ seats vacant, say NGOs

Coalition says, however, the Gua Musang and Jeli seats should not be deemed vacant since the MPs were elected on a PAS ticket.