A motion to vacate the seats held by the four – Dr Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya), Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), Khaliq Mehtab Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Lazim (Teluk Bahang) – is expected to be tabled at the sitting and approved.
Afif, who joined Bersatu after he was sacked by PKR, said his dismissal meant he did not breach the anti-hopping law.
He said that unless PKR’s constitution was amended to state otherwise, he could still keep the seat as he was sacked and had not defected from the party.
As far as he was concerned, he said, only DAP had amended its constitution which would see its elected representatives lose their seats if they were sacked from the party.
Afif pointed out that the same MPs who voted for the anti-hopping bill in the Dewan Rakyat were also assemblymen in Penang, namely chief minister Chow Kon Yeow (Padang Kota), Lim Guan Eng (Air Putih) and Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Pantai Jerejak).
“It is hypocritical when you vote in favour of this law at the federal level, but apply a different standard at the state level,” he said. “This is not about us personally, but they are making a mockery of the law by applying a double standard.”
Zulkifli also joined Bersatu after he was sacked by PKR. Khaliq and Zolkifly were elected on a Bersatu ticket, when the party was with Pakatan Harapan (PH). However, Bersatu left PH to join forces with PAS and Barisan Nasional in the wake of the Sheraton Move in 2020, which led to the collapse of the PH government.
‘Hypocrites since 2015’
Afif claimed the PH government’s double standard could be traced to 2015 when the then ruling coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, collapsed after a falling out with PAS, leading to the creation of PH.
At the time, he said, PAS’ Salleh Man (Permatang Pasir) had chosen to align himself with PH, despite PAS not being part of the coalition.
“Why wasn’t Salleh’s seat vacated? Was it because he backed PH? Are you trying to say we should quit Bersatu and join DAP?” he asked.
Afif said he and his three colleagues were prepared for any eventuality, including being asked to leave the state assembly if the motion to vacate their seats was passed.
‘’We will be present to defend our position during the debate, especially regarding the loopholes in Article 14A of the state constitution,” he said. “This legislation does not give the speaker the power to declare seats vacant and is also vague on the definition of party-hopping.”
The move to unseat them had been mooted in October 2020 but stalled after they filed an injunction to stop the assembly from doing so.
On Thursday, the High Court quashed their application to stop the motion, saying it had no power to interfere in the management of the state assembly.