No need for Bersatu 6 to vacate seats, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker

Speaker Johari Abdul said the fact that six Bersatu MPs declared their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership ‘doesn’t mean anything to me’. (Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The six Bersatu MPs backing the government need not vacate their seats so long as they remain members of the party, according to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul.

“I’m not going to comment on their political move, I’m not in that game.

“But, as far as I’m concerned, as long as he (the MP) writes to me stating that he is still a Bersatu member, that is what is important,” he said during an engagement session with media editors here today.

Johari said the fact that the Bersatu MPs have declared their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s leadership “doesn’t mean anything to me”.

“As long as he states (in black and white) that he is not hopping (parties), he doesn’t leave his party or resign from it, but he supports Anwar, what is the problem with that?” he said.

Earlier, FMT reported that one of the six Bersatu MPs said their seats can be vacated only on an order by the Speaker or by the courts.

Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman said a proposed amendment of Bersatu’s constitution would not have any effect on him or the other five Bersatu MPs.

Besides Suhaili, the others who pledged their support for Anwar late last year are Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang).

Johari also said the Standing Orders give him the prerogative to entertain MPs’ requests to change their seating in the Dewan Rakyat.

He gave the example of Cabinet ministers resigning and being replaced by backbenchers.

“At the end of the day, the power to remove or move them is with me, but upon request.

“So, the moving from one place to another is normal, it’s not sacred,” he said.

Return of Parliamentary Services Act

Johari said a bill for the revival of the Parliamentary Services Act (PSA) will likely only be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat meeting after the coming one.

The Act was first enacted in 1963, just a few months before the formation of Malaysia. It allowed Parliament to act as a truly independent body, running its own affairs, selecting its staff and controlling its expenditure.

However, it was repealed in 1992 under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration, with parliamentary affairs subsequently being placed directly under the Prime Minister’s Department.