This comes before the state decides their fate as assemblymen and whether they will be forced to vacate their seats.

The assemblymen – Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya, ex-PKR), Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh, ex-PKR), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam, Bersatu but pro-PN) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Telok Bahang, Bersatu but pro-PN) – said that under the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution, they would not be subject to disqualification.

“If the state government is sincere in its claim and in the spirit of bipartisanship, we believe that the motion to disqualify us should be withdrawn,” they said in a statement.

Under the anti-hopping bill passed by the Dewan Rakyat on July 28, MPs will lose their seats if they choose to jump to another party. Exceptions will be given for those who are sacked by their party or if their party is dissolved or deregistered.

Several states have expressed their intention to bring their constitutions in line with the proposed amendments.

The assemblymen denied that they had defected or changed their party allegiance.

“Two of us were elected on the Bersatu platform and we remain with Bersatu. Two of us were expelled from our former party for making statements which were perceived as being critical of the party leadership,” they said.

Chow had said their fate will be decided tomorrow following a landmark Federal Court ruling yesterday that the state constitution banning party hopping is in line with the Federal Constitution.

The assemblymen said that while they respect the decision of the Federal Court, they disagreed with it.

“As we understand it, the decision of the Federal Court is premised on narrow grounds. We have instructed our solicitors to review the matter to enable us to discharge our duties as lawfully elected assemblymen,” they said.