TASEK Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan said Perikatan Nasional (PN) will continue to defend its four Penang assemblymen, whom he claimed are being forced out by DAP-Umno under the anti-party hopping law.

He said he met the assemblymen this morning with Penang PN chairman Dominic Lau.

“We are very worried about the efforts of the DAP-Umno government in Penang, which wants to eliminate balance in the state by forcing four PN assemblymen to vacate their seats.

“This effort illustrates how a dictatorial attitude is taking hold in the DAP-Umno coalition,” he posted on Facebook today.

Wan Saiful said there is no more desire to create a balanced administration based on the spirit of true democracy.

“They just want to make sure they stay in power without any checks so they can do whatever,” he said.

Yesterday, the High Court rejected the application of the four assemblymen to get an injunction to prevent the Penang assembly from presenting a motion for them to vacate their seats.

The assemblymen involved are Zulkifli Ibrahim (Sungai Acheh), Afif Bahardin (Seberang Jaya), Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq (Bertam) and Zolkifly Md Lazim (Teluk Bahang).

Judicial Commissioner Azizan Md Arshad ruled the court had no power to interfere in the internal affairs of parliament or any state assembly.

He said the court should recognise the doctrine of separation of powers.

The four assemblymen filed the suit in 2020 to challenge article 14A(1) of the Penang constitution, and to stop their seats from being declared vacant under article 14A(1).

Article 14A of the Penang constitution stipulates that an 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. 

Wan Saiful said the reps will bring the matter to the state assembly this week.

“God willing, the wave of PN will be with us in our quest to conquer Penang.”

Lau in a statement said the move to get rid of the four assemblymen is Pakatan Harapan’s way of stifling changes PN brings to Penang.

“(The) DAP-Umno (government) is afraid of rising support for PN. This move is to stifle the opposition’s voice ahead of the state polls.” – March 3, 2023.