DEPUTY Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today dismissed rumours that seven Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs are vacating their seats.

The BN chairman said this was just a rumour as BN MPs are bound by a cooperation pact they signed earlier.

“Most importantly, if they want to make any political move, they need to wait until the end of the term. They should also think of the mandate. In addition, appointment letters issued to them were to represent the party, not themselves.

“They have signed the agreement and made the pledge before me,” he said when asked to comment on Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam’s video in which he claimed that seven MPs from Johor, Pahang, Sabah and the northern peninsula were vacating their seats.

He said this at the closing of the Bukit Aman Madani Ride convoy at the Selangor contingent police headquarters in Shah Alam today.

Also present were Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Hazani Ghazali and Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan.

On the now-vacant Pelangai state seat, Zahid said he had discussed the matter with Pahang Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

“We have studied the results in the last general election and we feel there must be continuity in the development of the Pelangai constituency,” he said.

The Pelangai seat was declared vacant following the death of its incumbent, Johari Harun, in a plane crash on Guthrie Highway in Bandar Elmina, Shah Alam, on August 17.

The Election Commission in a statement today said a special meeting would be held this Thursday to set key dates for the by-election. – Bernama, August 21, 2023.