THE Penang Pakatan Harapan government will table a motion to declare vacant the seats of two assemblymen from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) who have pledged allegiance to Perikatan Nasional (PN), if they do not step down on their own.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is also the state Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman, said according to the state constitution, Telok Bahang assemblyman Zolkifly Md Lazim and Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq have to step down voluntarily, failing which a motion would be tabled at the next State Assembly sitting to ask them to vacate their seats.
Both recently accepted appointments at government-linked companies, with Zolkifly made the Mara Corp adviser and Khalid Mehtab appointed as Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman.
They had also voiced their support for Bersatu, under the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s leadership.
“Their actions are clearly at odds with the principle of Pakatan Harapan. As such, the Penang Pakatan Harapan Leadership Council, in a meeting yesterday, decided to remove them,” Chow told a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Rangoon Road today.
“If the motion has the support of the majority in the assembly, the Speaker can declare their seats vacant because the motion has been supported.”
For Seberang Jaya assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin, who is currently suspended by PKR, Chow said the PH Council has decided to wait for the final decision of the PKR leadership.
The trio – Zolkifly, Khalid Mehtab and Afif – are no longer recognised as part of the Penang government.
In order to manage and coordinate government matters in all the three areas, Chow said they have decided to appoint “Adun Angkat,” namely Balik Pulau MP Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik for Telok Bahang, Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman for Bertam and Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar for Seberang Jaya.
Penang introduced an anti-hopping law in 2012. But interestingly, Chow said there was a precedent set in 1992 when the Federal Court ruled the law was unconstitutional as it contravened Article 10 of the Freedom of Association.
“The case (in Kelantan) happened almost 30 years ago. If there is a case before the court, it will give a new opportunity to the court to interpret the constitution.
“It would be an opportune time for the court to interpret this in the light of political defections, threatening the functioning of parliamentary democracy, even leading to the fall of so many state governments and Federal Government.
“That is something for the court to decide if there is a case brought to the court subsequently.”
Whether Zolkifly and Khalid Mehtab will step down on their own, be removed or bring their case to court, remains to be seen.
If they vacate their seats on their own, Chow said it would depend on the timing whether by-elections would be held. If a seat is declared vacant two years before the next general election, then a by-election would be held but if the vacancy occurs less than two years, there is no need to have a by-election to fill the vacancy, he said.
Although PH had decided to act against Zolkifly and Khalid Mehtab, Chow said PH still agrees to maintain the “Pakatan Harapan + Bersatu” formula for those members and leaders of the Penang PPBM who clearly support the PH government.
Among those at the press conference were Muhammad Bakhtiar (who is the Penang PKR chairman and Penang Pakatan Harapan deputy chairman I), Dr Roslan Ahmad (Penang Amanah chairman and Penang Pakatan Harapan deputy chairman II), state executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari and Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.
Others present included Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, Sungai Pinang assemblyman Lim Siew Khim, Jawi assemblyman H’ng Mooi Lye, Penang DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying, Penang Amanah deputy chairman Mohd Yusoff Mohd Noor and Penang Amanah communications director Zaidi Zakaria.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis