PKR MPs and former ministers Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad will be taking over Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama).
This was announced at their special event in Petaling Jaya today, which was attended by around 800 supporters.
Bersama - or the Malaysia United Party - is based in Penang and was registered in 2016.
After speeches by three youth representatives, they also revealed a new kancil (mousedeer) logo for the party, replacing the one used by the party originally.
Earlier at the event, five other PKR MPs were at a photo session with the duo, namely Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Balik Pulau), Wong Chen (Subang), Rodziah Ismail (Ampang), S Kesavan (Sungai Siput), and Zahir Hassan (Wangsa Maju).
Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung was later spotted in attendance, with Engelbert Humperdinck’s “A Place in the Sun” playing on repeat at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre prior to the event’s commencement.
At the end of his speech, Rafizi announced that both he and Nik Nazmi will vacate their Parliament seats tomorrow, send resignation letters to PKR, and join Bersama as members on Tuesday.
Rafizi also announced that registrations for Bersama are open on its website.
Addressing a press conference after the announcements, Rafizi said the order of the moves should prevent PKR from taking action against the duo for supposedly breaking their election bond with the party.
He explained that the bond with PKR states that they might be liable to legal action if they switch allegiances to another party while still being a lawmaker.
“Before this, there was never any MP who would willingly vacate their seat, but we have opted to return the mandate to the rakyat who voted for us under a PKR ticket.
“So, when we leave the party on Tuesday, we will no longer be tied to the bond - that is why we have chosen this sequence of actions,” the former economy minister said.
Fate of constituents
When asked about the fate of their constituents, Rafizi assured that he and Nik Nazmi will continue their service to the best of their abilities, noting that their constituents were also consulted before today’s announcement.
“How we service our constituency depends on the MP, people like Nik Nazmi and me have a good track record (in terms of) our service…that will continue whether or not we’re MPs (as) we have our team,” he said.
“Part of the reason we took this route is because of the encouragement given by our constituent members - voters in Pandan and Setiawangsa are apprehensive about PKR and Harapan now.
“We took into account their views and (we believe) we can strike a balance between servicing our constituencies and maintaining the idealism that they demand from us,” he added.
He also said that he and Nik Nazmi, who is the former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister, are prepared to face “any eventuality” resulting from their move, stressing that if a by-election were to take place, they would each defend their respective seats.
Rafizi said that while the Federal Constitution states that a by-election is generally not required if a seat has been vacant for more than three years after the general election, there is also a provision allowing the speaker to call one if the vacancy affects the government’s majority.
Seat analysis
In the current situation, however, Rafizi argued that the provision should not apply as the government’s majority stands at 150 lawmakers after he and Nik Nazmi vacate their seats.
Noting that it is “too premature” to comment on seat analysis now, right after Bersama has “gone to the market” and prior to analysing the rakyat’s reception to the party, Rafizi said the party is not seeking to develop any electoral pacts.
“We are not going for any coalition. We will not be tied to discussions with this person or that person.
“We are a multiracial party that can contest in any seats held by any parties,” he added.
Rafizi and Nik Nazmi quit as ministers in May last year after losing their party positions in the PKR polls.
Rafizi, now the subject of an MACC probe into a RM1.1 billion semiconductor deal with UK-based Arm Holdings, had previously challenged PKR to sack him after the party issued him two show-cause letters. - Mkini
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