PETALING JAYA – Former economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad who have announced their departure from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), are not bound by the party’s RM10 million bond.
Rafizi clarified that this is because they had taken the step of vacating their parliamentary seats for Pandan and Setiawangsa before leaving the party.
He added that the bond or legal action only applies if a Member of Parliament (MP) leaves the party and joins another party without vacating the seat won under the PKR ticket.
“PKR has a bond or lawsuit in place if an MP leaves the party and joins another party, because previously no elected representatives were willing to vacate their seats.
“Many wanted to remain MPs while switching parties. What we are doing today is returning the mandate to the people,” he said during a press conference following his political direction announcement with Nik Nazmi on Sunday.
Earlier, it was reported that both former ministers had announced their resignation from the party and would vacate their parliamentary seats effective Monday.
Rafizi, who is also PKR's former deputy president said the move was also taken to avoid perceptions that they were attempting to violate the anti-hopping law.
“We respect the mandate given by the people when we won under the PKR and Pakatan Harapan (PH) ticket, which is why we chose to vacate the seats,” he added.
He also left it to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to decide whether a by-election should be held following the vacancy of the two parliamentary seats.
He said under the Federal Constitution, a by-election is not necessarily required after three years, but the Speaker has the authority to consider it if the vacancy affects the government’s majority.
“Based on the current situation, that provision should not apply as the government still has a majority of 150 seats without the two of us,” he said.