KUALA LUMPUR – The issue involving Bersatu’s six former lawmakers has caused strife among Umno leaders, leading to an online brawl among them.
Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Lokman Noor Adam slammed Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh for questioning Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul’s decision against vacating the parliamentary seats of the six former Bersatu members, who were sacked from the party for backing the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-led unity government.
According to Lokman, Akmal should have known that the seats were not vacated due to the loopholes in Article 49A of the anti-hopping law, which happened due to the “stupidity” of Bersatu leaders themselves, who rejected the proposed amendment to the act submitted by the then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Among the proposals to be included is a clause stating that MPs who breach the party’s rules will lose their seats automatically.
The anti-party hopping law stipulates that an MP’s seat will be vacated if the lawmaker in question resigns from their party, ceases to be a member of the party, or joins another political party.
However, the law that came into effect in October 2022 does not address instances where an opposition MP switches support to the government without leaving their party.
“I still remember Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi. Three times he came to the point of resigning because his proposal was an act that was complete and strong enough, but the Bersatu minister objected because they wanted to steal and buy Barisan Nasional MPs after the 15th general election.
“This matter turned loose because of Bersatu leaders. What the hell is the Umno youth leader becoming a spokesman for Perikatan Nasional (PN)?,” he asked in a video uploaded on Facebook today.
The debate took place following Akmal’s statement disputing the decision of the Dewan Rakyat speaker against vacating the seats of six former Bersatu members, who are now independent lawmakers.
Akmal also questioned whether the same decision would apply to other parties in the future.
He also gave the example of Lokman, who was originally from PKR but later joined Umno, and the act is still considered a “katak politik” (party hopping law).
“When there is a difference of opinion, then accuse people of being the spokespersons of another party. This is the level of people who have no brains and make people hate politicians.
“Continue to be stupid, Lokman Adam, because the people are not stupid; you are the only one who is stupid, like there is no brain,” he said.
Previously, Bersatu whip Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (Beluran-PN) said that a notice of seat vacancies was sent and accepted by the Dewan Rakyat speaker’s office on June 20.
The party issued the notice after the six lawmakers had their memberships revoked when they declared support for the prime minister.
The six lawmakers involved are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tg Karang). – July 13, 2024
