PETALING JAYA: Pandan MP Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli said he and Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad do not need to pay a PKR bond because they are leaving Parliament first, then the party.
Rafizi said they would resign as MPs, effective tomorrow (Monday), before joining Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) on Tuesday.
"The risk of facing PKR lawsuit or the bond only arises if we leave the party and join another party while still serving as MPs.
Rafizi did not specifically mention the sum. However, the RM10 million figure comes from a legal bond signed by all candidates prior to the 14th general election (GE14) in 2018.
Under the agreement, candidates were required to pay this sum within seven days if they won their seats on a PKR ticket but later resigned, joined another party or became independent.
"Previously, no MP was willing to vacate their seat because everyone wanted to remain an MP while switching parties. What we are doing today is vacating the seats and returning the mandate to the people.
"So when we quit PKR as members on Tuesday, we are no longer bound by the bond," he said.
Rafizi said they wanted to avoid allegations of violating Malaysia's anti-party hopping law, while also returning the mandate to the people.
"Our decision is to ensure that this is not seen as party-hopping. Because we respect the mandate we won under PKR and Pakatan Harapan's ticket, we are therefore vacating the seats," he told a press conference after announcing his and Nik Nazmi's new political direction today.
Rafizi said he and Nik Nazmi would defend the parliamentary seats of Pandan and Setiawangsa, respectively, in the next general election under their new party, Bersama - NST
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