PRIME Minister Anwar Ibrahim is being childish in defending parliament Speaker Johari Abdul’s decision to allow six former Bersatu MPs to keep their seats after they were fired by their party, said Urimai chairman P. Ramasamy.

He said Anwar had failed to defend the spirit of anti-party hopping by agreeing with Johari’s decision.

“If Anwar had clearly thought of the evils of party hopping, he would not have accepted the shift of loyalty of the six Bersatu elected members of parliament.

“For Anwar, apart from his constant references to high moral principles, in practice, he is just an ordinary Malaysian politician wishing to stay in power by inducing other elected representatives to shift their loyalty to the government,” said the former DAP leader in a statement.

He also lashed out at Johari for abiding by the wishes of “his party boss Anwar” in allowing the six MPs to keep their seats.

He added that with Johari’s decision, the chances of challenging the matter in the court of the law might remain remote.

He further said the unity government had undermined the anti-party hopping law by exploiting legal loopholes, and further undermined political principles that are based on moral and ethical grounds.

“If Johari had believed in the spirit and sanctity of the anti-party hopping law, he would have thought twice or even thrice before making the decision in favour of the six ‘frogs’.  It is an utter shame to the so-called Madani government.

“It is a very bad precedent for the progressive development of the rule of the law in the country. Whatever happened to reforms and changes for the betterment of the country? Partisan politics seems to be the hallmark of the government in power,” he said.

On Wednesday, Johari informed Bersatu chief whip Ronald Kiandee that the party’s order to five of its MPs, excluding Labuan, to vacate their seats contravened the Dewan Rakyat Standing Order, the Houses of Parliament (Privileges and Powers) Act 1952, and the Federal Constitution.

Suhaili Abdul Rahman has not vacated the Labuan seat because of an ongoing lawsuit fighting the order.

The speaker’s decision allowed Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), and Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) to keep their seats.

It is Bersatu’s stand that the party membership of the MPs was automatically revoked when they professed support for Anwar.

Anwar had defended Johari’s decision, saying it was Bersatu’s fault that the six retained their seats.

Anwar cited Bersatu’s rejection of a clause where MPs sacked from their parties would have lost their seats when the anti-party hopping law was being formed.

“Bersatu objected to it, that’s why (sacked MPs) are exempted. So, you have to read the Federal Constitution,” he had said. – July 12, 2024.