KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — Independent candidate Tengku Datuk Zainul Hisham Tengku Husin will be automatically booted out of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia if he persists in contesting the Chini by-election, party disciplinary board chairman Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas reportedly said.
Malaysiakini quoted Megat Najmuddin saying Tengku Zainul Hisham would get his Bersatu membership annulled as per the party’s constitution if he runs against the Perikatan Nasional-backed candidate from BN in the by-election.
“If he goes ahead [to contest], he is automatically out. Because it is as if he is joining the opposition or going against the party’s instructions or arrangements,” he was quoted saying.
“Section 10.2.4 clearly states that members lose their membership automatically if they contest [an election] as a candidate who is not from the party or as an independent candidate.
“We don’t need to bring it before the disciplinary board,” he reportedly said.
Zainul, who is also the Pekan Bersatu division deputy chief, could stand to breach Section 10.2.4 of the Bersatu constitution where it states party member would lose their membership immediately if they contest in an election against the party chosen candidate.
Earlier today, Tengku Zainul Hisham had announced his candidacy for the Chini by-election.
He will be using the “house” symbol and had also announced his manifesto, dubbed the “Being the voice of the Chini people”.
On May 29, Bersatu secretary-general Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin had announced that the party will go out in full force to support the candidate who is from its PN ally Barisan Nasional.
Earlier today, Pekan Umno division committee member Mohd Sharim Md Zain was been named as BN candidate for the Chini state by-election.
The state by-election was called after the death of its BN assemblyman Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Harun on May 7.
The Election Commission set June 20 for nominations and July 4 for polling, with early voting set on June 30.
