DEWAN Rakyat Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has insulted the Federal Court and the Penang State Constitution following his statement describing the Penang Legislative Assembly’s move to vacate four seats under Perikatan Nasional as an ‘abuse of power’ and ‘clearly politically motivated’, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
Chow said the Federal Court has unanimously ruled that a provision in Penang’s Constitution against party-hopping passed in 2012 (Article 14A of the Penang State Constitution) is valid law.
“Any statement which deviates from the views of the Federal Court is an insult to the Federal Court and the Penang State Constitution,” he replied to the supplementary question by Lim Guan Eng (PH-Air Putih) during the Penang Legislative Assembly sitting today.
Four Penang state seats in the State Legislative Assembly were declared vacant following the motion tabled to vacate the respective seats was passed in the august House yesterday afternoon (March 6).
The motion to declare the seats held by Dr Afif Bahardin (PN-Seberang Jaya), Zulkifli Ibrahim (PN-Sungai Acheh), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (PN-Bertam), and Zolkifly Md Lazim (PN-Teluk Bahang) as vacant under Article 14A of the Penang State Constitution was tabled by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abd Rahman (PH-Pinang Tunggal).
It was reported that Article 14A of the Penang State Constitution states that a state assemblyman should vacate his seat if he resigns, is stripped of his membership, ceases to be a politician or is chosen as a candidate by another political party.
Chow said the matter (motion to vacate the four seats) has been addressed by the State Legislative Assembly.
“The four state constituencies (Seberang Jaya, Sungai Acheh, Bertam, and Teluk Bahang) affected, following the seat vacancies, will be served by adopted assemblymen (Adun angkat).
“The rakyat in the four constituencies will not be marginalised. We will continue to care for the people through allocations provided to the assemblymen and adopted assemblymen,” Chow said.