THE four of parliament (MPs) who quit Bersatu did not party-hop as they had contested in the 15th General Election (GE15) on a Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) ticket, says Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
Maintaining that their status as MPs should not be disputed, the GRS Deputy Chairman and Keningau MP added that their “surat watikah” (appointment letter of candidates) was from GRS, not Bersatu.
The four MPs are Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali (Papar), Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Jonathan Yasin (Ranau) and Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang).
Citing how the four had become GRS members on Oct 27, he said this effectively meant they ceased to be Bersatu members as a clause in Bersatu’s constitution stated that one’s membership would be terminated immediately if they joined another party.
“This means that these MPs were GRS members on nomination day, not Bersatu members. Therefore, there is no issue (of breaching the anti-hopping law).
“The anti-hopping law is only in effect if an MP who was elected on a party’s (ticket) leaves it for another,” he told the Dewan Rakyat while debating the motion of confidence in Prime membersMinister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Dr Jeffrey also said GRS can no longer be “dragged here and there” by leaders of peninsula-based political parties, now that it was a “100 per cent Sabah party”.
“We want to determine our own fate and will support any party and Prime Minister that will pay attention to the issues and rights of Sabahans and Sarawakians.”
Earlier, Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) called for the vote of confidence to be postponed for 21 days to allow for the four MPs’ status to be scrutinised according to the anti-hopping law.
