Bersatu withdraws suit against speaker over 5 MPs’ seats

2026-03-05 - 04:13

The High Court ordered Bersatu to pay Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi, Azizi Abu Naim and Zahari Kechik a total of RM10,000 in costs. KUALA LUMPUR: Bersatu today withdrew its lawsuit against Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul over his refusal to declare vacant the seats of five MPs who pledged their support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration three years ago. Bersatu’s lawyer Chetan Jethwani told the High Court the withdrawal was prompted by the Federal Court’s recent dismissal of a similar suit brought in connection with the seats of four MPs from Sabah. “Given that decision, my client has no alternative but to withdraw this summons,” the lawyer told Justice Mahazan Mat Taib. The judge struck off the suit and ordered Bersatu to pay the five MPs, all named as defendants, a total of RM10,000 in costs. The five MPs were Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar). Earlier, lawyers Firoz Hussein Jamaluddin and Michael Anthony, appearing for the MPs, urged the court to award them costs of RM100,000, saying substantial work had been done in the case. Federal counsel Zulkefli Sulaiman, representing Johari, said the government was not seeking costs from the party. In its lawsuit, Bersatu contended that Johari had violated provisions prohibiting party hopping – specifically Article 49A(3) of the Federal Constitution – by refusing to declare the five seats vacant. The party sought an order to compel Johari to declare all five seats vacant and notify the Election Commission so that by-elections could be conducted. The five MPs contested and won their seats under the Bersatu banner at the 15th general election in November 2022. Despite being in the opposition, they shifted their allegiance beginning Oct 12, 2023, and pledged their support for Anwar’s unity government.