SUNGAI PETANI: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul has confirmed that his office is preparing a formal response to the attorney-general over the decision not to vacate the five parliamentary seats held by former Bersatu members.
Johari said he received a request letter from the A-G and that his team was working on the necessary responses.
However, the former Sungai Petani member of parliament declined to comment further on the status of the originating summons filed by Bersatu.
"The attorney-general has requested a response relating to my decision, and we are preparing them on my behalf regarding the decision in the Dewan Rakyat.
"I am unsure whether the other individuals (former Bersatu MPs), have received notices from the courts, but I can confirm that I have.
"My advisers are handling the necessary response. As for the next step, we will wait and see whether the court will proceed, or whether there will be case management and other developments," he told reporters today.
On Nov 25, Johari confirmed receiving a writ of summons from Bersatu for refusing to vacate the seats of five MPs who were expelled from the party.
On Nov 15, Bersatu filed an originating summons against five MPs: Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), and Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang).
The lawsuit also named Johari for allegedly failing to vacate the five seats as required.
The plaintiffs claimed that from Oct 12 last year, the MPs shifted their support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's government, contravening Bersatu's and Perikatan Nasional's stance against aligning with Anwar's administration.
Bersatu seeks a declaration that Johari violated Article 49A(3) of the Federal Constitution by incorrectly concluding that no casual vacancies existed in the five parliamentary seats.
The party also seeks a ruling that Johari's position obliges him to ensure the seats are declared vacant as the MPs were no longer Bersatu members.