‘BN prepared to field candidates if six Bersatu seats declared vacant’
BAGAN DATUK: Barisan Nasional (BN) is prepared to try and wrest back six parliamentary seats currently held by Bersatu if they are declared vacant, said BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Umno president, said these seats used to belong to BN.
“We will discuss with the Unity Government leadership to decide on this if the vacancies occur,” he told reporters after attending the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) mini showcase programme here yesterday.
According to him, Umno and BN candidates should be given priority to contest in these constituencies.
However, he believed that Parliamentary regulations and the federal constitution do not provide for these Bersatu MPs to be stripped of their seats despite efforts by Bersatu to declare their seats vacant.
He said Bersatu seemed to be having a taste of its own medicine as previously one of its leaders had taken Umno MPs into Bersatu.
“Now even without Umno and BN doing anything, we see that six of them (Bersatu MPs) have pledged support for the Prime Minister,” said Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister.
On Saturday, media reports said these six Bersatu seats may have to be vacated if the MPs stick to their stand of supporting Anwar as the Prime Minister.
This follows an amendment to Article 10 of the Bersatu Constitution, as approved at a special party general meeting, for the immediate stripping of membership of any MP who pledges support to any party in contravention of Bersatu’s directive or stand.
Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the party would send a report on the amendment to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and it would be enforced with immediate effect if approved by the ROS.
The six Bersatu MPs who have expressed support for the Prime Minister are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).