JITRA, Sept 1 (Bernama) — Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif of the Barisan Nasional (BN) on Tuesday expressed relief over the Election Commission (EC) decision allowing him to remain as the state assemblyman for Kota Siputeh.

“I had left it to the EC to make a decision after Kedah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail dismissed my appeal,” he said.
The speaker had notified the EC on Aug 17 that the seat had fallen vacant, as per Article 51 of the Kedah state constitution, after Abu Hassan failed to attend the assembly sitting on two consecutive meeting dates, April 19 and Aug 9.
EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said today the EC unanimously agreed that Abu Hassan was absent from two consecutive state assembly meeting dates in different terms and not within the same term, and thus did not have to vacate the seat.
Speaking to reporters at the Kota Siputeh assemblyman’s service centre in Kampung Tenggiri near here, Abu Hassan said he would attend coming sittings of the state assembly as usual.
Abu Hassan, who is Jerlun Umno Division chief, said he hoped that the technical slip-up of his would serve as a lesson to all other elected representatives.
He said he would continue serving his constituents, adding that Jerlun Umno would distribute 500 bags of rice and cash to the poor in the area under its jurisdiction.
— BERNAMA