Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister Armizan Ali said they would be violating the anti-hopping law if they did.

“We were direct members of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) during the last general election (GE15).

“This means we will not be joining Gagasan Rakyat as the law does not permit us to do so,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying to reporters at a party event in Kota Kinabalu today.

Armizan made the comments when asked to explain the current status of the four MPs after they left Bersatu, following Hajiji’s exit from the party last month.

The others are Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) dan Matbali Musah (Sipitang).

On the legal action announced by Bersatu against Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul after he ruled that the four MPs did not have to vacate their seats, Armizan said they would leave it to the courts to decide.

“It is their right to seek legal redress although the Dewan Rakyat Speaker has made his decision in accordance with the anti-hopping law.

“If certain parties are still not satisfied, it is their right to challenge the decision,” he said, adding that he had yet to receive any legal notice on the matter.

On Dec 17, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said that he wanted the courts to decide on the status of the four MPs after Johari decided that the MPs did not have to vacate their seats.

The former prime minister insisted that the Speaker had made a mistake in interpreting Article 49A(3) of the Federal Constitution, which deals with party hopping among MPs.

Earlier today, Hajiji announced that he would be leading Gagasan Rakyat.

He said the party was accepted as a GRS member on Dec 9. Hajiji is also the chairman of GRS, the ruling coalition in Sabah.