We’ll be back, says Bersatu man after seat vacated

 

Bersatu’s Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq (second from left) says the four now-former assemblymen’s removal from the state assembly is ‘heartbreaking’.

GEORGE TOWN: One of the four former assemblymen from Bersatu who were forced to vacate their seats for party hopping has vowed that Perikatan Nasional will come back stronger than ever in the upcoming state polls.

Former Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq said their removal from the Penang state assembly was expected as soon as the motion was tabled considering Pakatan Harapan’s solid majority in the legislative assembly.

“Although this is heartbreaking for us, we have to accept it,” he told reporters at the press conference outside the Penang state assembly here.

“But God-willing, we (PN) will come back bigger and stronger.”

Khaliq, Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya), Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), and Zolkifly Lazim (Teluk Bahang) were booted from the state assembly after the House approved a motion to vacate their seats for party hopping.

The four had won their seats in the 14th general election (GE14) on a Pakatan Harapan ticket.

They were all deemed to have “lost” their seats after Bersatu left PH – following the Sheraton Move in February 2020 – based on the anti-hopping provision contained in Article 14A of the state constitution.

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