[UPDATED] Uproar as Penang assembly tables motion to expel four Perikatan reps

GEORGE TOWN – There were no crowds outside the state assembly building here as Penang lawmakers moved to expel four Perikatan Nasional (PN) backbenchers over party-hopping.

However, it was a rowdy start to the sitting when one of the four assemblymen – Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya-Bersatu) – started making a recording from his seat, which was disallowed by state Speaker Datuk Law Choo Kiang.

Law reminded Dr Afif that video recording and photography were not allowed in the building. Afif relented after a brief commotion.

“Please stop recording, Yang Berhormat, do respect my status as the speaker. Please sit down,” Law told Afif.

“This is unfair as Parliament allows it,” retorted Afif during the exchange.

The motion to expel the four – Dr Afif, Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sg Acheh), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Telok Bahang) – was tabled by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman (Pinang Tunggal-PKR).

The four PN reps were present at the sitting when the motion was read.

In debating the motion, Khaliq Mehtab said changing parties does not mean the elected representatives have failed their electorate, adding that he is “serving voters to the best of my ability and have proven that I can do my job despite changing parties”.

He then slammed Pakatan Harapan (PH) for “betraying the people” when the coalition formed the federal unity government with “tainted” Barisan Nasional (BN) following the 15th general election last November.

Several backbenchers then took part in a heated exchange during the debate where shouts of “Sheraton Move” and “YBs of low intelligence” can be heard.

Later, Law announced that the four PN reps should be allowed to state their case before the house votes on the motion.

Meanwhile, state opposition leader Datuk Muhammad Yusoff Mohd Noor (Sg Dua-BN) said he supports the anti-hopping law and that it is important to uphold it.

“I am troubled by the move to expel the four, but they lost their (court) appeal.”

He added that the expulsion could have been done when the four had left PH in 2020, while urging the House to rethink the motion as he wanted a “happy ending” for all parties.

Yesterday, there were social media posts urging PN supporters to gather outside the state assembly building this morning.

Last week, The Vibes reported that a motion was submitted for the four PN reps to vacate their seats after they failed to obtain an interim injunction.

The landmark motion is expected to be passed because PH holds 33 state seats, which is two-thirds of the house, as opposed to PN’s five and BN’s two.

The four defected from the PH coalition to join PN in 2020 after the infamous Sheraton Move toppled the then-PH federal government.

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

However, judicial commissioner Azizan Arshad said the court cannot interfere with how Parliament or a state assembly is managed.

With this, he dismissed the applications for an interim injunction against vacating the seats.

On January 20, the high court dismissed the suits by the four Penang assemblymen against the Penang assembly and Law over a motion introduced in October 2020 compelling them to vacate their seats.

However, they filed an appeal against the decision at the Court of Appeal on January 25.

On December 16 last year, Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat dismissed the leave applications by the four assemblymen to challenge the competency of the state assembly to pass an anti-hopping law.

The four assemblymen had filed the suit in 2020 to challenge the constitutionality of Article 14A(1) of the Penang constitution and to stop their seats from being declared vacant, pursuant to Article 14A(1).

Article 14A states that an assemblyman shall vacate their seat if, having been elected as a candidate of a political party, they resign or are expelled from a party, or having been elected otherwise than as a candidate of a political party, they join a political party. – The Vibes, March 6, 2023