THE Election Commission (EC) has set Aug 17 has set Aug 17 as the polling date for the Nenggiri state seat in Kelantan.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday (June 28), EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said early voting will be held on Aug 13 and nomination day has been fixed for Aug 3.
This is after Kelantan state assembly Speaker Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had declared the seat vacant on June 19 after its elected representative Mohd Azizi Abu Naim’s Bersatu membership was revoked.
Mohd Azizi, along with five other Bersatu MPs and a Selangor state lawmaker, had over the past year declared support for the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Bersatu said the Gua Musang MP’s membership was terminated after he failed to declare his loyalty to the party and because of his continued support for Anwar’s administration.
Mohd Azizi also failed in his bid to stop the upcoming by-election, after the High Court dismissed his interim injunction application on Thursday (June 27).
In his suit, he contended that an amendment to Clause 10 of Bersatu’s constitution, which stipulates that one’s membership will cease if he supports a political rival, is unconstitutional.
He wanted the court to strike down the amendment on the grounds that it violated the Federal Constitution.
Mohd Azizi also wanted the court to declare the notice issued by the Kelantan state assembly advising the EC of the vacancy as null and void. He said he was not given the right to defend himself before the seat was vacated.
He named Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, Kelantan Speaker Mohd Amar and the EC as defendants. – June 28, 2024
Main pic credit: Sinar Harian
