THERE is political disquiet in the wake of the six Bersatu MPs who shifted their political allegiance to the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration, but still insist on retaining their parliamentary seats.
This is despite Bersatu stating recently that the lawmakers had ceased to be members after failing to respond to a notice to confirm their loyalty. In short, they had forfeited their seats.
The six MPs are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
Temperatures rose when parliamentary Speaker Johari Abdul rejected Bersatu’s attempt to vacate the seats of the members of parliament (MPs) concerned.
He, however, reserved his decision on Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman who is suing Bersatu in his bid to declare his dismissal from the party as invalid.
Critics argued that the speaker’s decision runs counter to the spirit of the Anti-party-hopping law (APHL) that was enacted in October 2022, which aims to prohibit MPs from switching parties or pledging support to another political party.
Bersatu’s forfeiture rule is similar to that applied by DAP and Umno, which means that those rules are now also likely defective.
These rules were meant to plug a loophole in the APHL where MPs who go against their parties could still retain their seats provided they do not quit.
What is worrying is that such change of political allegiance has serious implications, one of which is that it could lead to political instability, erosion of democracy and economic disruption.
It’s still fresh on our minds the events that unfolded as a result of some MPs jumping ship in the Sheraton Move, which subsequently saw the Pakatan Harapan government being brought down to its knees in 2020.
source https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/485502
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