KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders will be meeting the Registrar of Societies (RoS) next week regarding Bersatu’s application to amend its party constitution, said coalition chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Muhyiddin has said that he, along with opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and several other PN top figures, will hold a meeting with the RoS at 10am on Monday (March 11).
“We will bring the decision (to amend Bersatu’s party constitution) as decided during Bersatu’s extraordinary general meeting to the RoS,” Muhyiddin, who is also Bersatu president, told a press conference after PN’s convention with elected representatives today.
“We hope that the RoS will consider the matter fairly and allow the amendments as soon as possible.”
Besides that, the former prime minister also said that today’s convention had made evident Bersatu’s “firm standing”, as those in attendance had shown their commitment to the party’s principles.
He also said that the party’s recent passing of the proposed amendments to its constitution had sent a “big signal” to elected representatives on the party’s stance regarding defectors.
Yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the ministry had yet to receive any updates from the RoS regarding Bersatu’s proposed constitutional changes.
The minister also assured that there would not be any political interference in whether or not RoS decided to approve the suggested changes.
The amendment to article 10 of the party’s constitution seeks to automatically terminate the membership of elected representatives if they support any other party or policy not aligned with Bersatu’s position.
The proposed constitutional changes came after six Bersatu MPs pledged their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, with all of the lawmakers citing the welfare of their constituents and the need for economic stability.
Muhyiddin had previously said that once the amendment was approved by the RoS, Bersatu would seek to vacate the six parliamentary seats currently held by MPs who remained in the party but had publicly supported Anwar and the unity government.
The MPs involved are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tg Karang).
The party’s Selat Klang assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, has also announced his backing of Anwar’s government, claiming that the move is a result of PN’s silence against the accusations thrown at the Malay rulers. – March 9, 2024