KOTA KINABALU: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) did not take action to revoke the membership of Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali when he became a direct member of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) to contest the Papar seat.
Armizan, who won the seat in GE15, said that the central Bersatu party did not make a decision on his status as a member of the party even after he became a GRS direct member.
"My status in Bersatu is status quo unless the central Bersatu leadership decides that I am no longer a member," said Armizan, who was appointed Minister in Charge of Sabah and Sarawak Affairs in the unity government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
"I did not publicly announce my resignation or send in a letter of resignation. I assumed that my Bersatu membership had stopped because I became a GRS member.
"For me whether my membership is revoked or not, it should be determined by Bersatu headquarters. I have not received any official notification so far," he said when contacted Tuesday (Dec 13).
Armizan was clearing the air amid questions whether he and three other Sabah Bersatu associated MPs - Tourism, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan (Batu Sapi), Datuk Matbali Musah (Sipitang), and Datuk Jonathan Yassin (Ranau) - were subjected to losing their seats under the anti hopping law after Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor led a Sabah Bersatu exodus out of the party on Dec 10.
Armizan said that there were some who even asked him why he became a GRS member when he was a member of Bersatu.
He said that he became a direct member of GRS for sentimental reasons as he was very much involved in the formation of GRS and believed strongly that GRS was the best vehicle uniting the people of Sabah.
"At that time, I did not see that there was a problem in becoming a member of GRS because even the Bersatu central leadership itself gave the blessings for Sabah Bersatu to be a component of GRS," he said.
Amid the questions over the status of whether the four MPs associated with Bersatu were subjected to anti-hopping law, GRS secretary general Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said.
that GRS were fully aware of the anti-hopping law which came into effect on Oct 5 that was before their candidates were fielded for the 15th general election on Nov 5.
"We will inform the Speaker of Parliament, if and when necessary of their (GRS Member of Parliament) position," he said in a statement Monday (Dec 12).
Lawyer Tengku Datuk Fuad Ahmad, who is state legal advisor, had indicated earlier that the four MPs were GRS direct members when they contested the general election.
He claimed that their candidacy had nothing to do with their association with Bersatu as they had resigned prior to the election.
GRS is a five party - Sabah Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Usno - coalition led by Hajiji.
The former members of Bersatu were expected to join or take over a new party that would become a coalition partner of GRS.
GRS and Sabah Barisan Nasional are part of the state coalition government.
