SERDANG, July 14 — Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) communications director Fahmi Fadzil has refuted claims that the government is reluctant to declare vacant the six parliamentary seats and one state seat held by former Bersatu members due to fear of losing in the by-elections.
The communications minister said instead, the current government is acting in respect of the provisions outlined in the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 2022 (Act A1663), also known as the Anti-Party Hopping Act.
"This is not a matter of being afraid or not afraid (of elections). This is about the constitution," he told reporters when met at the Hari Peneroka 2024 celebration here last night.
Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin earlier yesterday alleged that the six parliamentary seats and one state seat held by their former members were not declared vacant because the Unity Government was afraid of facing defeat.
Muhyiddin claimed that due to this, the government was willing to violate the provisions of the Federal Constitution related to the Anti-Party Hopping Act, which they advocated for themselves.
On July 10, Muhyiddin said that he had received a letter from Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul rejecting the party's request for the six parliamentary seats to be declared vacant.
The six MPs involved are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang).
On Thursday, Selangor State Assembly Speaker Lau Weng San announced that there was no casual vacancy for the Selat Klang seat held by former Bersatu member Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.
Commenting further, Fahmi, who is also the Unity Government spokesman, said the current social media debate on platforms like TikTok has reminded people of Muhyiddin's statements during the Anti-Party Hopping Act debate, which contradicted his current stand.
"Muhyiddin (at that time) clearly stated that dismissal (of incumbents from a party) should not lead to the vacating of seats. If we review his statements around November 2022, shortly after the 15th General Election, he said it was not wrong for Umno members to support him becoming the prime minister.
"So, I see Muhyiddin as a hypocrite who has forgotten what he said either in Parliament or right after GE15," he said.
When asked about calls to tighten the Anti-Party Hopping Act, he said the government is ready to review the matter.
He added that the Harapan leadership has always, in principle, wanted the act to be strictly enforced.
"The prime minister has said that we can review this matter (tighten the act). It is not an easy task and we must remember that previously, representatives from Harapan and almost all involved in discussions at that time, including from Umno, supported a stricter bill.
"Previously, those who strongly opposed were MPs like Muhyiddin, Radzi Jidin, and Hamzah Zainuddin (all from Bersatu). Therefore, we agree in principle to tighten any aspects currently lacking," he said.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government is open to discussions to improve loopholes in the Anti-Party Hopping Act.
— Bernama
