PUTRAJAYA, Sept 1 (Bernama) — The Election Commission (EC) ruled that Kota Siputeh state constituency is not vacant and that Datuk Abu Hassan Sharif, who won the seat in the 12th general election, is still the assemblyman for the area.

EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the commission, which met on Tuesday, unanimously agreed that the Kota Siputeh assemblyman was absent for two consecutive state assembly meetings in two different terms and not within the same term.
He said that Abu Hassan had also submitted a medical chit to prove that he was absent due to health reasons.
“The EC accepted his medical chit; his failure to submit it to the speaker earlier does not nullify the medical chit,” he said in a statement here.
The EC on Aug 17 was notified by the Kedah state assembly speaker that there was a vacancy for the seat as the assemblyman was absent for two consecutive meetings, rendering the seat vacant according to Article 51 of Kedah State Constitution.
Abdul Aziz said Abu Hassan had been given the opportunity to explain the reasons for his absence from the meetings.
“The EC has looked into his letter apologising for his absence from the meeting on Aug 9. He also attached to the letter a medical chit from the doctor who found that he was not fit to work for two days from Aug 9.
“We also considered his statement that he had sent a text message to the Opposition Leader that he would not be able to attend the meeting has he had a chest pain,” he said.
Meanwhile in ALOR SETAR, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said the state government was planning file a suit in court seeking to declare the seat vacant.
He said that the state government would leave it to the legal advisor and state assembly speaker to study the matter and act accordingly.
“We want to know if the EC made the correct decision,” he said.
— BERNAMA