The communications minister said the government respects the provisions outlined in the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 2022 or the anti-hopping Act.

“This is not a matter of being afraid or not afraid (of elections). This is about the constitution,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the “Hari Peneroka 2024” celebration here last night.

Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin had said earlier in the day that the six parliamentary seats and one state seat held by former party members were not declared vacant because the unity government is afraid of facing defeat.

Because of this, he said, the unity government is willing to violate the provisions of the Federal Constitution related to the anti-hopping Act, which it had advocated for.

On July 10, Muhyiddin said he had received a letter from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul rejecting the party’s request for the six parliamentary seats to be declared vacant.

The six former Bersatu members are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

On July 11, Selangor state assembly speaker Lau Weng San announced that there was no casual vacancy for the Selat Klang seat held by Abdul Rashid Asari.