(Selangor, 31st) Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin stated that the Selangor State Legislative Assembly Speaker is expected to announce the result of a review concerning the qualification dispute of a state assemblyman next Monday (August 3rd).
He said that the state government is currently consulting with the Selangor legal advisor to verify the allegations, and further action will only be taken after completing the relevant procedures.
After attending a Quran recital and prayer event at Dataran Melang in Kuala Pilah last night, Amirudin told the media: "We have received information about the matter and are now consulting the state legal advisor. The Speaker may announce the decision at the Selangor State Assembly sitting on August 3rd."
Earlier, there were widespread rumors that Selangor might be facing a by-election because a state assemblyman's eligibility was allegedly in question. If the seat is declared vacant, the state election commission will have to arrange a by-election.
However, Amirudin did not disclose the name of the assemblyman involved, nor did he further explain the details of the accusation.
Online media MalaysiaGazette on Thursday (July 30th) quoted sources stating that Selangor might see a state seat by-election because an assemblyman allegedly lost their qualification after being declared bankrupt.
According to the report, the matter has been submitted to the Selangor State Assembly Speaker and is currently awaiting further action according to the law.
According to Article 48 of the Federal Constitution, anyone declared bankrupt by a court and who has not received a discharge order will lose qualification to serve as a Member of Parliament or State Assemblyman.
If an elected representative loses qualification, the State Assembly Speaker must notify the Election Commission regarding the vacancy, after which the Commission will decide the by-election date.
However, whether a legislator truly loses qualification still depends on legal status and confirmation by the relevant competent authority, including the final ruling by the State Assembly Speaker.
There are a total of 56 seats in the Selangor State Assembly. If any seat becomes vacant, the Election Commission will conduct a by-election according to the current laws.
If the above-mentioned information is confirmed, this by-election will become the first to take place after the Negeri Sembilan state election's conclusion and is expected to again serve as a significant battleground for testing major political parties' support.
As Selangor has the highest number of voters nationwide and is long regarded as a competitive focal point for all major political coalitions, this by-election is expected to draw nationwide attention.