KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) — An issue like that involving Kota Siputeh assemblyman who was told to vacate his seat for being absent from state assembly sittings twice in a row has never happened in the Dewan Rakyat.

Parliamentary Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said the members of parliament needed only to write to the Dewan Rakyat secretary to state the reason if they could not attend the parliamentary sittings.
“Not possible to happen here (Dewan Rakyat). As far as I know, it has never happened here as the MPs know that if they cannot attend a session, they must write in to inform. This is the Standing Order.
“MPs should also understand that they have a duty, they need to attend the parliementary sittings unless they have reasons (to be absent),” he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call from the chairman of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly Hidemi Asakura, Azerbaijan ambassador to Malaysia Tahir Karimov and Belgian ambassador to Malaysia Dr Frank Van De Craen at his office in Parliament building, here, Monday.
Pandikar Amin was asked to comment on the action of Kedah state assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail, of informing the Election Commission that the Kota Siputeh was vacant after its assemblyman Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif was absent consecutively at two sittings, on April 9 and Aug 9.
Article 51 of the Kedah State Constitution states that if any member of the State Legislative Assembly is absent from the assembly without leave of the Speaker for two consecutive meetings, his seat shall be vacant.
On today’s courtesy calls on him, Pandikar Amin said they discussed current issues and developments in their respective countries.
— BERNAMA