KANGAR: Bintong state assemblyman Fakhrul Anwar Ismail intends to first seek independent advice from legal experts before taking any action regarding the termination of his Pas membership, which led to the loss of his position as an assemblyman.
He said he does not wish to act hastily, particularly on legal matters linked to the decision by Perlis state legislative assembly speaker Rus’sele Eizan yesterday, which declared the Bintong, Chuping and Guar Sanji seats vacant and proposed by-elections.
“In this matter, I am not challenging the decision, but rather seeking guidance from experts or those knowledgeable in this area, because I do not want to rush my next steps. If what the speaker has stated is correct, then there is no issue. However, if it is not correct, then we merely want to rectify what has been stated,” he said when contacted today.
Meanwhile, Fakhrul said he intends to submit an appeal to Pas for the party to reconsider his membership.
“Every Pas member who is found to have committed an offence has the right to submit an appeal within 30 days from the date they are found guilty, expelled or dismissed. The member can choose the most appropriate timing to submit the appeal. In my case, it is not suitable to appeal immediately because the situation is still ‘heated’ at present. However, I will ensure the appeal is submitted well before the 30-day period expires,” he said.
He added that if the appeal period lapses, a member may formally apply to rejoin Pas by providing justification and demonstrating loyalty to the party.
Regarding his duties as an assemblyman, Fakhrul said he remains a legitimate state assemblyman under the provisions of the Perlis State Constitution.
“Although I am now an Independent assemblyman, the public can still raise complaints or issues with me. I continue to act as a facilitator between the people and relevant agencies. There is no need for concern about complaints from the people of Bintong, as the Kangar member of parliament, Zakri Hassan, can also address their issues,” he said.
Fakhrul is one of three Pas assemblymen whose party membership was terminated after being identified among eight Perlis PN assemblymen, including five from Bersatu, alleged to have met the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, to state that they had lost confidence in and withdrawn support for Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli.
Besides Fakhrul, the other Pas assemblymen facing action are Chuping assemblyman Saad Seman and Guar Sanji assemblyman Mohd Ridzuan Hashim.
Fakhrul is Perlis Pas secretary and was previously appointed a state executive councillor in the first year of PN’s administration in Perlis.
At the 15th General Election, Fakhrul, representing PN, defeated the Perlis Umno liaison committee chairman and incumbent Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man of Barisan Nasional by a majority of 4,329 votes in a six-cornered contest involving candidates from Pakatan Harapan, Parti Pejuang, Parti Warisan Sabah and an independent candidate.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
