BAGAN DATUK: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi asserts that Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) will field their candidates in six parliamentary constituencies currently held by Bersatu members of Parliament (MPs) supporting the Prime Minister, should a by-election take place.
The Umno president and BN chairman said this decision was in response to the parliamentary constituencies of Kuala Kangsar, Gua Musang, Labuan, Jeli, Bukit Gantang, and Tanjung Karang being the original seats of his party.
He, however, said that they would first await the court's decision regarding the amendments to the Bersatu Constitution related to the vacancy of the six parliamentary seats.
The amendments would immediately revoke the parliamentary membership of representatives who declare support for any party conflicting with the direction or position of the party.
"(The six) seats were originally held by Umno, so we will engage in discussions with the Perikatan Nasional leadership to determine if the vacancies will lead to negotiations to reclaim those seats and prioritise Umno and BN candidates."
He said this after officiating a mini exhibition and handing over business kits to the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) at the Dato' Lope Hashim Hall here today.
The six MPs involved are Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjung Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan) and Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang).
It was previously reported that the Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the party's secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin would send letters to the six MPs to confirm whether they still adhered to the decision of supporting Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Zahid who is also the Deputy Prime Minister described Bersatu's amendments as divine retribution for Hamzah's betrayal.
"I think the amendments made by the party are Allah's retribution because, in the past, the secretary-general (Hamzah) brought Umno MPs to join the party.
"Now, without any effort from Umno and BN, we see six of them supporting PMX. This divine retribution will eventually show that even though they make efforts to vacate their seats, it cannot happen because it is still subject to the rules of Parliament and the country's Constitution," he said.
