KUALA LUMPUR (July 11): Member of Parliament for Labuan, Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman, has filed a lawsuit against Bersatu seeking a declaration that his dismissal from the party was invalid and in violation of the law.

Suhaili filed the lawsuit through Messrs Firoz Julian on July 1 at the Shah Alam High Court, naming Capt (R) Datuk Muhammad Suhaimi Yahya, an official of Bersatu, as the defendant.

According to the lawsuit obtained by the media on Thursday, Suhaili seeks a declaration that his dismissal from Bersatu was legally flawed, invalid, and in violation of the Federal Constitution.

He also seeks to challenge his dismissal under Article 8 of the Federal Constitution.

In his statement of claim, Suhaili said that on Nov 2, 2023, the Bersatu disciplinary board issued a letter informing him that charges had been made against him under Article 22.1(f) of the party's constitution.

He said the letter stated that a report had been made regarding his press statement supporting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Suhaili claimed that on Nov 3 last year, he wrote a letter to the disciplinary board to explain that he made the statement due to the party's failure to provide funds to assist the people of Labuan.

He alleged that despite providing a reasonable explanation, on Nov 7 last year, the board unlawfully and irrationally suspended his membership for six years.

Following the suspension, Suhaili stated that he sued Bersatu through its secretary general, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin, at the Kota Kinabalu High Court on Dec 19 last year.

However, the case was dismissed after the court decided it needed to be filed at the High Court of Malaya instead.  

He further claimed that on May 17 last year, he received a letter from the Bersatu secretary general informing him of his automatic expulsion from the party for filing a lawsuit against it, under Article 10.2.6 of the Bersatu Constitution.

"Following my expulsion, the secretary general also stated that I am no longer a party member and therefore, my parliamentary seat should be vacated," said Suhaili in his lawsuit.

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