KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan has accused the Penang state government of trying to "wipe out" Perikatan Nasional (PN) from the state.
The PN information chief, expressing his dissatisfaction against the DAP-Umno led state government, also accused them of being afraid of the increasing support towards the coalition.
"Forcing the four PN assemblymen to vacate their seats shows how afraid they are, willing to use all channels to ensure that they disable the people's support for PN," he told the media at Parliament here, today.
Wan Saiful said this in response to the decision by the Penang state legislative assembly voting to remove four Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assemblymen who had withdrawn their support for the administration.
The four are Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq, Teluk Bahang's Zolkifly Md Lazim, Seberang Jaya's Dr Afif Bahardin dan sungai Acheh's Zulkifli Ibrahim.
"They should have waited a few months more until the state elections.
"But because of their greed, they approved a motion to force the four PN assemblymen to vacate their seats," said Wan Saiful, who is also Tasek Gelugor member of Parliament (MP).
He said at the federal level, an MP who is sacked or a party that leaves a coalition as a whole was not considered to have jumped parties.
However, he added, the same rule did not apply in Penang.
Two state assemblymen had contested as Bersatu candidates and remained in Bersatu, he said, while the two others were state assemblymen who had been sacked by PKR.
"The spirit of the anti-hopping law is not being translated in Penang the same way it is on the federal level.
"We in PN will discuss this issue further and see what we can do, but I hope the people themselves can see how cruel and greedy the DAP Umno state government is in trying to hold on to power.
"I am confident that the people will reject them in the coming state elections," he added.
The motion for their dismissal was brought by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahmad.
It was passed with a voice vote, and received the support of the majority.
When tabling the motion, Ahmad Zakiyuddin said Article 14A of the Penang State Constitution stated that an assemblyman must vacate his or her seat when he or she leaves, quits, or is stripped of membership from a political party or joined any other political party.