KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said today that the fate of the parliamentary seats held by the six rogue Bersatu MPs will be known once he has received replies from the lawmakers.
He said at the moment he is awaiting explanation from the six MPs.
“I received the notice last Friday from Beluran MP,” he told reporters at the Parliament building here, referring to Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee.
“Following the law, I have 21 days to study [the matter]. So God-willing, when I have all the answers, I will call you guys to tell what’s happening, so be patient.”
Last Friday, a notice on the vacancies of six parliamentary seats held by the six Bersatu members was sent to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker’s Office.
The six seats are Jeli, Gua Musang, Bukit Gantang, Kuala Kangsar, Tanjong Karang and Labuan seats.
On June 19, it was reported that Mohd Azizi Abu Naim lost the Nenggiri state seat, as declared vacant by Kelantan state assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah after the former lost his Bersatu membership.
Mohd Azizi, who is also Gua Musang MP, reportedly failed to respond to an official party letter requiring him to pledge his loyalty to the party by May 31.
Although he won the Nenggiri seat under the PAS banner, Mohd Azizi was a Bersatu member.
Apart from Mohd Azizi, Bersatu earlier this month declared that five other MPs and a Selangor assemblyman also ceased being party members after failing to respond to letters requiring them to pledge loyalty to the party.
They are Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal, Jeli MP Zahari Kechik, Kuala Kangsar MP Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, Labuan MP Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman, Tanjong Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi and Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.
This was a result of Bersatu successfully amending its constitution where party members will automatically cease to be members if they go against the party’s decisions, and its elected representatives must subsequently vacate their seats.
