KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 – DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke has today said that the predicament of the six Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia MPs will not occur with DAP’s own federal lawmakers.
He said DAP had already amended its party constitution with similar provisions taking effect before the 15th general election (GE15).
“It will not affect us, we have to look at the context. DAP did its party constitution amendments before GE15 took place, so all candidates who contested under DAP is bound by the provisions in the party constitution that is if they disobey and do not follow leadership orders their seat will be vacated through a notice to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
“That provision had existed in our party constitution before GE15 took place, so all candidates know of these provisions and they are bound by it,” Loke told a press conference at the Parliament building here.
He said in the case of the six Bersatu MPs, from his understanding and from the views of legal experts including DAP’s legal bureau, their party constitution was amended after GE15.
“This meant that when the six Bersatu MPs contested under Bersatu, they have no knowledge of the provision, therefore they are not bound by the provision, that’s DAP’s view on the situation.
“But the Speaker’s decision will be his view and he has made his decision, I’m sure he has referred to the attorney general.”
Earlier, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin confirmed that the six MPs’ seats remain as per decision by Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Bersatu had in June declared that the six MPs and a Selangor assemblyman has ceased being party members after failing to respond to letters requiring them to pledge loyalty to the party.
The party leadership had done so in accordance to its amended constitution, whereby 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.
