SHAH ALAM - Sacked Umno members who are also MPs can keep their seat by choosing to remain independent, say experts.
Singapore Institute of International Affairs senior fellow, Dr Oh Ei Sun said MPs who lost their Umno membership can remain as independents as stated in the anti-hopping law.
"Those fired still get to keep their MP seats as independents per anti-hopping law," he told Sinar Daily.
He added that those who were suspended are still with Umno and can remain as backbenchers at the Dewan Rakyat.
"So, it is up to them to whether pledge their support for the unity government or for Perikatan Nasional (PN), or just be independents," he stated.
According to lawyer Fatihah Jamhari, sacked Umno MPs will likely sit together with two other independent MPs.
"Those who were sacked will most probably sit together with the other two independent MPs, at the back," she said.
She also said the ruling party may have lost three MPs but the present government remains strong.
Umno suspended and sacked almost 50 Umno leaders Friday night.
Former Umno Youth Chief Khairy Jamaluddin and former Selangor Umno chief Tan Sri Noh Omar were sacked, while Sembrong MP Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was suspended for six years.
Among other members who have been suspended from the party for six years were former Umno Deputy Youth Chief Shahril Hamdan, Umno Youth Exco Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, former Jempol MP Salim Mohd Sharif and former Johor State Exco Maulizan Bujang.
Tensions within the party rose during the 2022 Umno general assembly earlier this month, with the party passing a motion for no-contest for the party’s top two positions amid criticism by members such as Khairy and Maulizan.
It was also reported that Hishammuddin was among 10 BN MPs who signed statutory declarations supporting Perikatan Nasional (PN), which were later retracted as BN formed an alliance with Pakatan Harapan (PH) to form the unity government.
Party elections are scheduled to be held from Feb 26 to March 18 this year.