PETALING JAYA: The six ex-Bersatu lawmakers whose status as MPs are under contention have submitted letters to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to explain their position.

Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said the letters were sent on Thursday for the Speaker’s consideration.

He said their expulsion from Bersatu did not amount to them automatically vacating their seats through Article 49A(1) of the Federal Constitution.

Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, also known as the Anti-hopping Law which came into effect in 2022, states that an MP will lose his or her seat after resigning as a member of a party, ceasing to be a member of the party, or being elected as an Independent but later joining another party.

However, it states, among others, that the MP will not lose the seat if the party is de-registered or if he or she is sacked from the party.

“We did not do anything that would warrant our seats to be vacated nor intentionally ceased to be a party member,” he told a press conference in Bukit Gantang yesterday.

Syed Abu Hussin questioned how amendments to Bersatu’s constitution could act retrospectively, pointing out the six MPs had declared support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim before they came into effect.

“We are not traitors but merely focusing on developing the country and our constituencies,” he pointed out.

However, he said in the event of by-elections being called in the six constituencies, he was ready to defend his Bukit Gantang seat.

“But to me it is a waste of time and funds. It is better to let the people decide during the next general election,” he said.

At another press conference, Tanjong Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi questioned the validity of the Bersatu supreme council’s decision to terminate their memberships.

He wanted to know when the meeting was held, who was present and who chaired the meeting, and asked for the minutes of the meeting.

“According to the Bersatu website, the supreme council’s term is between 2020 and 2023. Has the term ended or been extended?

“If the term has ended, can they meet and issue directives?” he asked yesterday.

Zulkafperi said it was still too early to comment whether he would recontest the seat in the event of a by-election.

Besides the duo, Bersatu declared last month that four other MPs and a Selangor assemblyman ceased to be party members after failing to respond to letters requiring them to pledge loyalty to the party.

The four MPs are Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), with the assemblyman being Selat Klang rep Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.

The six MPs had earlier pledged support for Anwar while Abdul Rashid declared support for Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.

Earlier last month, the Nenggiri seat held by Mohd Azizi was declared vacant by the Kelantan state assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah after he lost his Bersatu membership.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/01/six-ex-bersatu-mps-explain-position-to-speaker