KOTA BARU: All eight Bersatu assemblymen, including Mohd Azizi Abu Naim and Zahari Kechik, took the 'akujanji' (pledge) before contesting in the 15th General Election (GE15).
Kelantan Bersatu chief Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor said that, like Pas, which requires its election candidates to take the 'bai'ah' (pledge of loyalty), Bersatu also does the same for its candidates.
"The Bersatu pledge is the same as Pas' bai'ah; the difference is only in their names," he said.
"Like Pas, all Bersatu election candidates need to take the pledge and this applies to all the eight candidates who contested under the Pas-Bersatu tickets in GE15, including Mohd Azizi and Zahari, who declared their support to Prime Minister's administration last year.
"The reading in the pledge is the same as Pas', and only the pious understand the meaning behind the readings and the consequences," he said when met at his office.
Kamaruddin said humans can do various actions without thinking about the consequences that they might face later.
He said Mohd Azizi, who was former Nenggiri assemblyman, has been stripped off his membership from Bersatu due to his own action.
"There is no issue of him being sacked from the party. He has violated several rules in the party's constitution," he added.
Pas recently clarified that Mohd Azizi and Zahari did not take the bai'ah during the last general election.
The party's vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Abdullah clarified that Mohd Azizi and Zahari, along with six other candidates who contested in GE15 under Pas-Bersatu tickets, instead took the akujanji (pledge) as required by Bersatu.
Mohd Amar, who was Kelantan State Assembly Speaker, recently announced Nenggiri state seat vacant, paving the way for a possible by-election in Kelantan.
He said that the seat was declared vacant effective June 19, following a notification of Mohd Azizi's termination on June 13.
Following the declaration, the Election Commission (EC) will hold a special meeting tomorrow to address the Nenggiri by-election in Kelantan.
Its secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak said they received an official notification from the Kelantan speaker about the unexpected vacancy of the N.43 Nenggiri seat.
It was reported yesterday that Mohd Azizi has filed a legal bid to halt the upcoming by-election in Kelantan.
He is also seeking to challenge his termination from Bersatu.
Mohd Azizi filed the originating summons at Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday by naming the party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin and Mohd Amar as defendants.
In the originating summons, Mohd Azizi seeks a declaration that the by-election for the Nenggiri state seat cannot be conducted by the Election Commission because he still holds the seat.
The plaintiff is seeking a court declaration that his dismissal from his position and membership in Bersatu through a notice dated June 12 is an unlawful dismissal.
He is also seeking a court declaration that the notification letter from Mohd Amar to the EC, stating that the Nenggiri state legislative assembly seat is vacant, to be suspended.
The plaintiff also seeks a declaration that the notification letter is invalid and void, and that his dismissal from Bersatu was malicious.