Four Penang Perikatan reps to defend seats at assembly sitting

KUALA LUMPUR – The four Perikatan Nasional (PN) state assemblymen facing the boot at the Penang assembly will be attending the sitting on Monday to defend themselves, said Seberang Jaya assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin.

He said the four of them will defend their position when the motion to vacate their seats is tabled, reported Bernama.

“This is especially on the loopholes in Act 14A of the Penang constitution. The act does not empower the speaker to vacate seats. It also includes the vague definition of party-hopping.

“What the state government is doing is that it wants to usurp the people’s mandate. 

“They (state government) want to decide who should be in the state assembly while the people elect us,” he was quoted as saying in a press conference in George Town today.

He added that the four representatives are ready to face any possibilities, including being told to leave the assembly building, if the motion passes.

Yesterday, The Vibes reported that a motion was submitted to the office of Penang speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang for the four PN assemblymen to vacate their seats after they failed to obtain an interim injunction.

Padang Kota rep and Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed that the motion would be tabled as part of due process.

The landmark motion is expected to be passed because Pakatan Harapan (PH) holds 33 state seats, which is two-thirds of the house, as opposed to PN’s five and Barisan Nasional’s (BN) two. However, BN is now considered an ally after the formation of the unity government.

The four – Dr Afif, Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sg Acheh), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Telok Bahang) – defected from the PH coalition to join PN in 2020 after the infamous Sheraton move toppled the then-PH federal administration.

The Penang high court has fixed March 3 to hear amendments in the case relating to the four assemblymen who filed for an injunction against the state assembly on a motion to vacate their seats.

When dismissing the injunction application, judicial commissioner Azizan Arshad yesterday said the court cannot interfere with how Parliament or a state assembly is managed. – The Vibes, March 4, 2023