KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Datuk Johari Abdul has confirmed receiving formal notice from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) of four alleged vacant parliamentary seats in Sabah that could result in a fresh round of elections soon.

Johari said he received a letter from Bersatu vice-president Datuk Ronald Kiandee on December 27 who requested the Speaker to notify the Election Commission of the four vacancies, news portal Malaysiakini reported this afternoon.

"So, now I got all his letters and I am acting on them,” Johari was quoted as saying.

The PKR man told the news portal that Kiandee had previously suggested that the four Sabah MPs who had quit Bersatu vacate their seats, but at that time, he had not received any formal notice and could not act in accordance with the law.

Now that the gears have been put in motion, Johari said he would fulfil his role as Speaker but indicated that he will need some time.

"I need to do a lot of reading and digging. I will work out the best position on how to respond to this and that would take some time.”

Earlier today, Malay Mail reported Kiandee submitting a written notice to the Speaker in a bid to boot four Sabah MPs who had been chosen to represent Bersatu in GE15 but contested and won under the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) banner.

The four MPs are Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau), and Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang).

When the elections resulted in a hung Parliament, GRS initially pledged its support to Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as prime minister, but later switched to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which saw the Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoint the PKR chief as head of the government.

On December 10, the four MPs and 15 Sabah assemblymen led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor publicly declared their "exit” from Bersatu.

This led to Bersatu’s assertion that the four MPs had run afoul of the newly gazetted federal anti-party hopping law enshrined as Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, which requires them to vacate their seats.

However, GRS has countered that all the 19 Bersatu state and federal lawmakers exited the party before the general election was called.

It pointed out that GRS’ constitution allows membership in more than one party and that the four MPs had contested and won on the GRS ticket and not Bersatu’s.

GRS was formally registered on March 11.

Although it is known publicly as a coalition of five parties, in the eyes of the Registrar of Societies and the Election Commission, it is considered just a regular political party.