UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh has been hitting the “wrong punching bag” in the controversy surrounding six former Bersatu MPs who were expelled from the party for declaring support for the unity government, said a PKR Youth leader.

In a statement on Thursday (July 18), PKR Youth communication director Haziq Azfar Ishak said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul’s decision not to vacate the seats of the MPs despite them no longer being Bersatu members, was based on the anti-hopping law and compounded by the fact that the party had failed to deal with a loophole in the Act.

“The speaker’s decision is based on provisions of Article 49A(1) of the Federal Constitution, which only allows for a seat to be vacated when an elected representative leaves his/her voluntarily, and not when he/she is let go for violating party instructions,” he stressed.

“This (decision on the ex-Bersatu 6) is not something to be proud of, but blaming the speaker is a persecution of the institution, which only carried out duties according to existing laws.

“With respect, Akmal has chosen the wrong person to be the punching bag. It should be Bersatu, not the speaker.”

Haziq was responding to the Merlimau assemblyman’s criticisms of Johari’s decision that the six turncoat Bersatu MPs need not have to vacate their federal seats despite no longer being Bersatu members.

Taking to Facebook last week, Akmal had also chided the decision to allow the six whose memberships were recently revoked by Bersatu to keep their seats as rendering “efforts to pass the Anti-Party Hopping Act in vain”.

“Until today, we have yet to see the UMNO Youth chief criticise the ‘real offender’ Bersatu who had made a mockery of the federal level anti-hopping law,” Haziq added.

On July 10, Johari had announced that the former Bersatu MPs will retain their seats in the interest of preserving stability in Parliament.

The six MPs in question are Syed Abu Hussin Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanafi (Tanjong Karang). - July 18, 2024 

https://focusmalaysia.my/direct-your-wrath-towards-bersatu-not-the-speaker-akmal-told-over-bersatu-6-controversy/