KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu will take the GRS4 lawmakers to court to determine their fate, seeing that the Dewan Rakyat speaker yesterday decided they could keep their seats, said party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He also alluded that the court may be the best avenue for the party, as speaker Datuk Johari Abdul is from Pakatan Harapan.
“The reason given by the speaker to the four MPs was that they had become direct members to Gabungan Rakyat Sabah on October 27, 2022.
“Under the Bersatu constitution, the speaker found that their membership to Bersatu automatically revoked when they contested in the general election on November 19.
“I believe the speaker had made a mistake in interpreting the party constitution. The speaker does not have the authority to interpret the Bersatu constitution,” said Muhyiddin in a statement here today.
This came after the four GRS MPS said that the speaker, in a letter dated January 16, told them they could keep their seats.
The four MPs are Datuk Armizan Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yassin (Ranau), and Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang).
Muyhiddin said that under 10.2.3 provision of the Bersatu constitution, the membership of a member will be dropped immediately if they joined other political parties.
He noted, however, that this article does not apply to the four MPs, as they were still members of the party and Bersatu was the founder of GRS at the point of time.
“Therefore, GRS could not be interpreted as a political party in spirit.”
Muhyiddin also produced the letter issued by the state Bersatu secretary dated November 3, which listed the name of the four MPs as candidates for GRS representing Bersatu in the election candidates’ list.
“This means, the four MPs becoming direct members of GRS does not affect their membership in Bersatu when they contested in the recent general election.
“This letter has been submitted to the speaker to help him in making a decision.”
He said former Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor only announced their departure from the party on December 10.
Then, the action of crossing the floor also happened on December 19, which resulted in their membership being immediately revoked, as it violated the Bersatu constitution, he added. – The Vibes, January 17, 2023
