KUALA LUMPUR – Keeping mum about Rembia rep Datuk Muhammad Jailani Khamis changing parties for more than a year raises suspicions as he sat in the government bloc, said Melaka Speaker Datuk Ibrahim Durum.
He told Scoop that he is reviewing the rules of the House, as there has been no precedent on this, before deciding whether to vacate Jailani’s seat.
He added that Jailani sat in the government bloc despite joining PAS last year.
“None of the PAS leaders informed me of Jailani joining the party. I don’t know what PAS’ intentions are but such actions are bizarre. The voters in Rembia are wary of this development.
“I will also check whether Jailani’s actions breached the state’s anti-hopping law that was passed on July 31 last year.
“I’ve informed Jailani to meet me as soon as possible. Following which, I will hold a meeting with the state government’s legal advisers, among others.”
Yesterday, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan welcomed Jailani to the fold, saying the Rembia rep left Umno for his party a year ago.
“I’m confirming that the Rembia assemblyman has applied to join PAS and was accepted on June 10 last year.”
Takiyuddin added that Jailani’s move was not considered party-hopping seeing that the state only passed its legislation on anti-hopping on July 31, 2023, after he joined PAS.
On August 28 last year, Umno’s disciplinary board accused Jailani of sabotaging the party after he attended an event by Perikatan Nasional in Bakri, Johor.
Jailani previously held the tourism, heritage and culture portfolio before he was dropped from the line-up in April last year.
He also joined Umno in 2021 and was appointed Alor Gajah Umno information chief. Previously, he was with PKR and became an independent for nine months. – July 17, 2024