KANGAR, El Sky News – The Perlis State Legislative Assembly is set to officially notify the Election Commission (EC) next week regarding the unexpected vacancies of three state seats, following a political shake-up within the state’s administration.
The Official Notice
Speaker Rus’sele Eizan confirmed that formal communication with the EC is currently being finalized. Under existing regulations, the Speaker’s office has a 21-day window to report these vacancies after the seats were declared empty.
“I am taking a brief period to resolve several administrative matters before the formal notification is submitted to the EC next week,” Rus’sele told Bernama recently.
The Affected Seats and Representatives
The vacancies involve three constituencies held by PAS representatives:
- Chuping: Formerly held by Saad Seman.
- Bintong: Formerly held by Fakhrul Anwar Ismail.
- Guar Sanji: Formerly held by Mohd Ridzuan Hashim.
The termination of their membership was triggered under Article 50A (1)(a)(ii) of the Perlis State Constitution. This follows a high-profile announcement by PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, stating that the trio’s membership in the party had ceased immediately due to internal disciplinary breaches and a shift in political allegiance.
Political Instability and Potential By-Elections
The crisis stems from reports that the three assemblymen met with the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, to declare a loss of confidence in the current Menteri Besar, Mohd Shukri Ramli.
While the Perlis State Assembly surpassed its three-year mark on December 18—a milestone that typically grants discretion on whether to hold by-elections—the Speaker emphasized that filling the seats is vital. He argued that holding By-Elections (PRK) for all three areas is necessary to ensure the stability and legitimacy of the state government moving forward.
Current State of the Assembly
In the 15th General Election (GE15), the Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalition secured a dominant 14 out of 15 seats in Perlis. The recent expulsion of these three PAS members significantly shifts the political landscape, leaving the state’s leadership in a position where it must now re-consolidate its mandate.
The final decision on whether by-elections will be called rests solely with the Election Commission once the official notice is received.
