Kota Kinabalu: Former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar on Monday clarified that the four Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Members of Parliament (MPs) need not vacate their seats.
“I have to agree with constitutional lawyer Tengku Datuk Fuad Ahmad that the Anti-Hop Law does not affect them,” said the former Santubong MP.
In a joint statement Monday, Junaidi and Tengku Fuad said in the recent 15th General Election (GE15), these MPs contested under the GRS banner and as direct members of that party.
“Therefore, their association with Bersatu ended in early October this year, before the GE15 took place. As such, they did not breach the Anti-Hop Law provisions,” they said.
They said this after having been informed by various reliable sources Monday morning and afternoon that the four Bersatu members have left the party in early October, before contesting in the GE15 on Oct 19.
On Dec 11, leaders of Bersatu Sabah unanimously announced their decision to leave the party but will remain under Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who is GRS Chairman, said the decision was taken after having considered Malaysia’s current political landscape, particularly that of Sabah’s.
The Sabah Chief Minister, who was then Bersatu Sabah Chief, said with this decision, they would now use GRS to voice out Sabah’s interests and that of the Borneon states in Malaysia.
On Sunday, Junaidi had said that the procedure was for an MP to notify the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat that a casual vacancy had occurred.
The Speaker, having established that there was such a vacancy, must notify the Election Commission and the vacancy must be filled within 60 days.
Meanwhile, GRS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said GRS is confident that the four MPs would not be affected by the Anti-Hop Law.
He said the four were fully aware of the Anti-Hop Law before they contested in the GE15.
“They will inform the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, if and when necessary, of their position and will issue a statement accordingly,” he said in a statement.
The four newly-elected GRS MPs concerned are Datuk Armizan Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) and Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang).
The other two GRS MPs are Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau) and Lo Su Fui (Tawau).
Under the Anti-Hop Law, made by an amendment to the Federal Constitution, MPs stand to lose their seats if they move to another party.
Exceptions are given to MPs sacked by their party or if their party is dissolved or de-registered.
GRS was formally registered as a coalition in March. Its members include Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah, Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and United Sabah National Organisation. The coalition forms the Sabah State Government, in alliance with Barisan Nasional.
