KANGAR, El Sky News — Three former Perlis state assemblymen have initiated legal proceedings against State Legislative Assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan following the sudden declaration of their seats as vacant.
The legal action, filed as an originating summons at the Kangar High Court, challenges the Speaker’s decision to announce casual vacancies for the Chuping, Bintong, and Guar Sanji constituencies.
The Legal Basis of the Dispute
The plaintiffs—Saad Seman (formerly of Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong), and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji)—have named Speaker Rus’sele Eizan and the Perlis State Legislative Assembly as the first and second defendants, respectively.
The dispute stems from a December 25 announcement where the Speaker invoked Article 50A(1)(a)(ii) of the Laws of the Constitution of Perlis. Under this provision, the Speaker ruled that the trio’s membership in the PAS party had ceased, thereby triggering an immediate termination of their status as representatives.
Arguments for Nullification
Through their legal counsel, Mohd Jamil Yaacob, the former assemblymen are seeking several court declarations, asserting that the Speaker’s announcement was:
- Procedurally irregular and outside the scope of established regulations.
- Legally void and of no effect.
- Fundamentally defective in its execution.
Impact on Constituents
In a collective statement, the three former representatives emphasized that the lawsuit was filed to protect the welfare of their constituents. They argued that if the vacancies are upheld, thousands of residents in the affected areas would be left without parliamentary representation for approximately two years until the next state general election.
The plaintiffs contend that leaving these seats unoccupied would deprive the people of Chuping, Bintong, and Guar Sanji of a voice in the state government during a critical period.
