Zahid denies talk of 7 BN MPs vacating seats

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday dismissed rumours that seven Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs are vacating their seats.

The BN chairman said this was just a rumour, and that BN MPs were tied as they had signed a cooperation pact.

"Most importantly, if they want to make any political move, they need to wait until the end of the term. They should also think of the mandate. In addition, appointment letters issued to them were to represent the party, not themselves.

"They signed the agreement and made the pledge before me," he said, when asked to comment on Umno Supreme Council member Lokman Noor Adam’s video in which he claimed that seven MPs from Johor, Pahang, Sabah and the northern peninsula were vacating their seats.

He said this at the closing of the Madani Ride convoy at the Selangor police contingent headquarters in Shah Alam.

On the Pelangai state seat which is now vacant, Zahid said he had discussed the matter with Menteri Besar Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.

"We have studied the results of the last general election and we feel there must be continuity in the development of the Pelangai constituency," he said.

The Pelangai seat was declared vacant following the death of its incumbent, Johari Harun, in a plane crash on Guthrie Highway in Bandar Elmina, Shah Alam, on Aug 17.

The Election Commission said that a special meeting would be held this Thursday to discuss the by-election for the seat.