Zahid: BN prepared to field candidates if 6 Bersatu seats declared vacant

 

BN is prepared to try and wrest back six parliamentary seats held by Bersatu if they are declared vacant, said BN chairperson Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Umno president said these seats used to belong to BN.

"We will discuss with the government leadership to decide on this if the vacancies occur," he told reporters after attending the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) mini-showcase programme in Bagan Datuk, Perak today.

According to him, Umno and BN candidates should be given priority to contest in these constituencies.

However, he believed that parliamentary regulations and the Federal Constitution do not provide for these Bersatu MPs to be stripped of their seats despite Bersatu’s efforts to declare their seats vacant.

He said Bersatu seemed to be getting a taste of its own medicine as previously one of its leaders had taken Umno MPs into Bersatu.

"Now even without Umno and BN doing anything, we see that six of them (Bersatu MPs) have pledged support for the prime minister,” Zahid added.

Yesterday, media reports said these six Bersatu seats may have to be vacated if the MPs stick to their stand of supporting Anwar Ibrahim as the prime minister.

This follows an amendment to Article 10 of the Bersatu constitution, as approved at a special party general meeting, for the immediate stripping of membership of any MP who pledges support to any party in contravention of Bersatu's directive or stand.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said the party would send a report on the amendment to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and it would be enforced with immediate effect if ROS approved.

The six Bersatu MPs who have expressed support for the prime minister are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

- Bernama