BUKIT GANTANG: The six Bersatu members of Parliament (MPs) who pledged support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim have sent an explanatory letter to the Dewan Rakyat speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
One of them, Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, who is Bukit Gantang MP, said the letter was to explain their position after their memberships with Bersatu had automatically ceased.
"The explanatory letter was sent to make it easier for Johari to decide on the crisis that occurred.
"In the letter, we insisted that Bersatu had removed our names from the party's membership list, causing us to become independent members in the Dewan Rakyat," he told a press conference today
He said the cease of membership was not made according to the Federal Constitution.
"Referring to article 49A (1) of the Federal Constitution, clearly states that the seat of a member of the Dewan Rakyat will become vacant if the elected politician gives up his party membership or no longer be a member of that political party after being elected to the Dewan Rakyat not as a political party and joining another political party as a member.
"The Federal Constitution has specifically referred to the three conditions that have been said earlier and it cannot be done by any third party," he said.
Therefore, he added, the six of them did not commit any offence that violated the provision of the Federal Constitution which required the speaker to declare that their seats must be vacated.
"Bersatu has taken action as if to trap us for giving support to Anwar.
"Bersatu's constitutional amendment has been made as if deliberately made to dismiss our memberships.
"The move was not in line with the Federal Constitution and the amendment of the Bersatu constitution does not have any effect on our position as members of the Dewan Rakyat," he said.
He said he would defend the Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat and has not decided to join any other party.
"Anything is up to the discretion of the speaker to make a decision.
"I am always ready for any outcome and will still defend this seat even if a by-election is held," he said.
When asked about the possibility of a by-election in his area, he deemed it a waste of time and an inconvenience for the people.
He added that even if the opposition won a by-election, it would not change the current government.