KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) still exists and is functioning, said Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman's remarks come after, Sabah Bersatu Chief Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and other state lawmakers quit the peninsular-based party.
"The state leadership, divisions and branches of Bersatu in Sabah were established by Bersatu supreme council members (AMT).
"Therefore, it is only Bersatu AMT that has the jurisdiction according to the party constitution to decide the party's status (in Sabah)," he said in a Facebook posting.
Following the en-masse quitting of Bersatu lawmakers in the state, Muhyiddin announced that party vice president and Beluran member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee has been appointed as the Sabah Bersatu liaison chief.
Kiandee will oversee the party until further decisions are adopted involving Bersatu in the state.
Muhyiddin expressed his disappointment over Sabah Bersatu's former leaders for being disloyal after they were appointed to high positions following the state election 2020.
"I believe that Bersatu members in the state of Sabah who are loyal to the party's cause will remain in Bersatu which is a component party of Perikatan Nasional at the Federal level.
"Regarding the position of the four Bersatu MPs who contested under the GRS banner in the 15th General Election, their position will be determined based on the anti-hopping law under Article 49A of the Federal Constitution."
The landmark Anti-Hopping law which came into effect on Oct 5 aims to discourage lawmakers from switching political parties.
Under the law, MPs will lose their seats if they choose to jump to another party. Exceptions will be given to MPs who are sacked by their party or if their party is dissolved or deregistered.
An MP who is elected as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker will also be exempted from the law.
The law will not apply to members of the Dewan Negara, as currently, senators are elected by state assemblies or through political appointment by the federal government and do not stand for public election.