Kit Siang moots constitutional amendment to allow MPs to recontest after resigning

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has mooted an amendment to the Federal Constitution to lift the ban on parliamentarians to re-contest for five years after resigning as an MP.

He said this in response to Umno Wanita chief Noraini Ahmad's challenge to three former MPs who quit the party to resign as parliamentarians.

The three are Bagan Serai MP Noor Azmi Ghazali, Bukit Gantang MP Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal and Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

In his statement, the Iskandar Puteri parliamentarian said he agreed with Noraini's statement.

"Mas Ermieyatiu should accept Noraini’s challenge and resign as MP for Masjid Tanah to seek a new mandate from the voters of Masjid Tanah but after changes in the law to allow her to re-contest in the by-election.

"I do not think she would have qualms over such an act of principle, but the Malaysian constitution must be amended first to allow her to re-contest in such a by-election," he said.

Under current legislation, the lawmaker is barred from recontesting for five years in the event of her resignation, stipulated under Article 48(6) of the Federal Constitution.

Under Article 48(6) of the Federal Constitution, a person who resigns his membership of the House of Representatives shall, for a period of five years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the House of Representatives.

"Let the 54 BN parliamentarians declare if they will support any constitutional amendment to repeal the Article 48(6) of the constitution, at the first parliamentary meeting this month," he said.

He believes that the constitutional amendment can be done in Parliament, with the support of 113 MPs from Harapan, eight MPs from Warisan and 54 MPs from BN.

"There is more than the requisite two-thirds parliamentary majority of 149 votes to enact such a constitutional amendment – even as a stand-alone amendment bill," he added.

"Let us hear from the Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the new Umno president elected last Saturday," he said.

"It is now for Noraini to first prove her sincerity and integrity before Mas Ermieyati has to prove her political integrity by resigning from Parliament," he said.

"In such circumstances, I would support Mas Ermieyati contesting against Umno in a one-to-one contest, and for Pakatan Harapan to stay out of the Masjid Tanah by-election," he added.

Lim, however, said he was also touched by the reasons given by Mas Ermieyati for leaving Umno.

"It reminds me of what another outstanding scion of Umno, Syed Hamid Syed Albar, who said a few days ago that Umno today was not the party he once knew.

"Syed Hamid said Umno has become a selfish party that strives for its own survival and gain, and cares little or not at all for the rakyat," he added. - Mkini