MAHATHIR DROPS BOMBSHELL – 3 MORE BY-ELECTIONS AFTER SEMENYIH, MORE UMNO REPS MAY BE ON THE RUN TO BERSATU: NEXT RANTAU… THEN NAJIB’S PEKAN & ZAHID’S BAGAN DATUK? WHAT ABOUT AZEEZ’S BALING? OR IS DR M REFERRING TO JASIN, KIMANIS & SIPITANG?

SEMENYIH: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says there will be another three by-elections after polling for the state seat of Semenyih ends.

“There will be three by-elections, one will be in Negri Sembilan which is Rantau,” he said in a speech at the Santai 2-Roda Semenyih 2019 event here.

Dr Mahathir, however, did not elaborate on the other two seats.

While it is known that the state seat of Rantau has been declared vacant, it is unclear what the two other seats mentioned by the prime minister were.

It is learnt that the two could be the Jasin parliamentary seat, for which the Federal Court had ordered a retrial of the election petition filed by then PKR candidate Khairuddin Abu Hassan, and one parliamentary seat in Selangor.

However, it could also be that Dr Mahathir was referring to the Kimanis and Sipitang parliamentary seats, which the Federal Court had remitted election petitions filed back to the Election Court for trial last week.

Meanwhile, Dr Mahathir also hinted more Umno parliamentarians would cross over to Pakatan Harapan as the country’s largest Malay party “is at a crossroads”.

Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad delivers his speech during the ‘Santai 2 Roda Semenyih’ programme in Taman Pelangi. Looking on is the party’s Semenyih by-election candidate Muhammad Aiman Zainali. – NSTP/ MOHD YUSNI ARIFFIN

In reiterating the need to increase the number of PH federal lawmakers through the defection of Umno parliamentarians, the PH chairman said that was the only way to effect changes in terms of amending the Federal Constitution.

“Despite being the ruling party, we do not have enough numbers in Parliament. But we will have more Umno members joining us because they have nowhere to go.

“And these are the Umno members (whose sentiments are) in line with us. So we can increase our numbers to two thirds in the house. Only then, we can make amendments to the Constitution,” he said.

Dr Mahathir’s appearance at the event was his third in campaigning for PH at a by-election, after Port Dickson and Cameron Highlands.

Also present were his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia deputy president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir and PH candidate for Semenyih, Muhammad Aiman Zainali.

Citing the proposal to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 years old as an example, Dr Mahathir said a change could only take place if there was a two thirds majority to amend the Constitution.

“To lower the age minimum, we need two thirds support to amend the constitution. That is why we need more PH lawmakers at the parliament, until we reach a two thirds majority.”

As of now, PH with the endorsement of its ally Parti Warisan Sabah and United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation has the support of a total of 135 parliamentary seats. The coalition is only 13 seats away from possessing a two-thirds majority of 148 out of 222 seats.

NST