PETALING JAYA: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s (Bersatu) attempt to unseat four Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) MPs is on slippery ground, say lawyers.
A lawyer familiar with the matter told The Star that the six Sabah Bersatu candidates had actually joined GRS as direct members in October and then contested the 15th General Election on a GRS ticket, of which four of them later won.
Meanwhile, Sabah Law Society President Roger Chin said the question that begs to be asked is whether the four MPs officially joined GRS in October. Chin also said there appears to be ambiguity in Article 49A on the definition of “member of a political party”, as it did not mention whether it meant an individual party like Umno, or a coalition like Barisan or GRS.Meanwhile, Lawyer Tengku Datuk Fuad Ahmad argued otherwise, saying that the definition of political party under Article 49A meant that the party of which he is a member, under whose symbol he contested and to which the candidate is elected.
"This is the same political party under which they contested in GE15 and to which they were elected,” added Fuad. He added that under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution, an MP will not lose his seat if the only reason he ceases to be a party member was due to their expulsion from their political party.
On Thursday , Bersatu vice president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee said the party had sent a notice to the Dewan Rakyat about the vacancies of the four parliamentary seats occupied by its former leaders.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Speaker: Bersatu note on GRS MPs received, I will act accordinglyPETALING JAYA: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul has confirmed receiving Bersatu's letter that the four Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) parliamentary seats should be vacated.
Read more »
COMMENT | Four Bersatu MPs case might land in courtCourt may decide on it for clarity purposes irrespective of speaker’s decision.
Read more »
No such thing as ‘crossing the floor’, Armizan tells KiandeePETALING JAYA: Papar MP Armizan Ali has rubbished Bersatu vice-president Ronald Kiandee’s claim that the four Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) MPs “crossed the floor” during the Dec 19 Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Read more »
Wei Chong-Kai Wun expect intense early clash with ‘Minions’PETALING JAYA: It will be an uphill task for Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun in the Malaysian Open from Jan 10-15, but they are not losing their heads.
Read more »
Bersatu asks Dewan Rakyat Speaker to vacate four seats under GRSKOTA KINABALU: Bersatu has sent a notice to the Dewan Rakyat Speaker seeking to vacate four parliamentary seats won on a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket in the 15th General Elections (GE15).
Read more »