KUALA LUMPUR – A turncoat Bersatu lawmaker has poured scorn on party information chief Datuk Razali Idris’ statement claiming the membership of party representatives who support the government is no longer valid.
Responding to the remark, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal slammed Razali for making “simplistic” statements which do not reflect the due process Bersatu has to go through.
Referencing the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) previous approval of amendments to the party’s constitution to allow it to take action against its lawmakers who have defected to the government, Syed Abu Hussin criticised Razali for apparently failing to adhere to established laws.
“Since (Bersatu) has just gotten approval from the RoS, just go through the process. There’s no need to issue challenges; I’m waiting and I will respond to the process,” Syed Abu Hussin told Scoop.
“This is a democratic nation. He (Razali) shouldn’t be going around making up his own laws (and) talking as if he has no knowledge of (existing) laws.”
The lawmaker also sarcastically suggested that Bersatu find a new information chief who is “smarter and more well-versed in laws and procedures”, labelling Razali as someone who is only capable of “coffee shop talk”.
Earlier today, Razali asserted that the seven Bersatu representatives who had declared their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership should vacate their seats without waiting for their letters of dismissal.
This, he said, is because the seven elected representatives’ memberships were nullified after the RoS approved Bersatu’s proposed amendments to the party’s constitution.
“The six MPs and one assemblyperson should not wait for an official letter from Bersatu. If you are gentlemen, resign and vacate your seats,” Razali reportedly said.
Previously, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said that the party will take action against its turncoat representatives after the Aidilfitri celebrations.
He also said the party had considered all angles before it tabled the amendments to its constitution while a legal team had looked into the matter to ensure that every follow-up action was based on the party’s rules, the Federal Constitution and the law on party hopping.
This came after Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal claimed the approved amendments would allow the party to vacate the seats held by its MPs who had pledged support for the government, paving the way for by-elections.
However, the amendments came into effect on April 1, while the seven elected representatives had declared their backing of Anwar’s government prior to this.
In March, Bersatu sought to amend Article 10 of its constitution to automatically terminate the membership of elected representatives if they support any other party or policy not aligned with Bersatu’s position.
The MPs involved are Syed Abu Hussin, Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang).
The party’s Selat Klang assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, also announced his backing for Anwar’s government, claiming that his move was a result of Perikatan Nasional’s silence amid accusations thrown at the Malay rulers. – April 12, 2024