KOTA BHARU (June 19): The Nenggiri seat is vacant from Wednesday, said Kelantan State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.

He said the decision was made after the state assembly received a written notice under Clause (3) of Article 31A of the State Constitution from Nenggiri assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim on June 13.

The speaker said apart from that, Bersatu on June 12 also informed that Mohd Azizi’s Bersatu membership had been revoked, and subsequently, the seat is vacant.

"Therefore, I declare in accordance with Clause 1, Article 31A that there is an unexpected vacancy in the Nenggiri seat represented by Mohd Azizi," the speaker said at a special press conference at his office in the Kota Darulnaim Complex here on Wednesday.

The speaker said that according to Clause 4(4) of Article 31A, the vacant seat must be filled within 60 days from the date the Election Commission (EC) receives the vacancy notice.

The speaker added that the matter also involves the development of the Nenggiri seat, after Mohd Azizi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Gua Musang, had previously pledged his support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"In Kelantan, we are confident that we can retain victory in Gua Musang and Nenggiri, while the candidate will be determined by the highest level of the party.

"In this context, who is contesting, and where the candidate is from, is usually for the top leadership to decide," the speaker said.

Mohd Amar, the speaker, is a member of PAS. Both PAS and Bersatu are in the Perikatan Nasional coalition.

He said his duty as the speaker is to only declare a vacancy, while the EC will determine when the seat will be filled within 60 days from the date the commission receives the vacancy notice.

Previously, the media had reported that six MPs and one assemblyman of Bersatu were revoked of their membership with immediate effect, after they failed to respond to a letter from the supreme leadership council to pledge allegiance to the party.

They are Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi, Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang), and Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari.

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