Perlis Speaker Withdraws Application For Three By-Elections

KANGAR, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Perlis State Legislative Assembly Speaker Rus’sele Eizan said today that he submitted an official letter to the Election Commission (EC) office in Perlis yesterday to withdraw his earlier application to hold by-elections for three state seats. 

He said that as such, the Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji seats will remain vacant until the next general election.

“The casual vacancies for the Chuping, Bintong and Guar Sanji state seats remain in force as stated in my letter dated Dec 29, 2025.

“I have informed His Royal Highness the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, of this latest development through a letter sent today,” he told a press conference at the Seri Putra Complex here.

Last Monday, Rus’sele submitted an official notification of the casual vacancies for the three seats to the EC.

He said that in the notice, his office had also informed the EC of the reasons for the need to hold by-elections for the three seats for the commission’s consideration.

Rus’sele said he changed his mind after PAS issued a statement giving assurances of its commitment to continue supporting and remaining within the Perlis State Government in line with the mandate given by the people at the 15th General Election (GE15).

“Furthermore, the statement by the Perlis Menteri Besar (Abu Bakar Hamzah) provided assurances that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) unity agenda would continue, with the coalition currently still holding a large majority of 11 out of 15 seats in the Perlis State Assembly. As such, there is no longer a need to hold by-elections to fill the three casual vacancies,” he said.

On Dec 24, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang announced that three PAS assemblymen in Perlis -Saad Seman (Chuping), Fakhrul Anwar Ismail (Bintong) and Mohd Ridzuan Hashim (Guar Sanji) - had their party membership terminated with immediate effect based on Clauses 76 and 15A(1)(b) of the PAS Constitution (Amendment 2025).

The three were among eight assemblymen who allegedly withdrew support for the previous Menteri Besar, Mohd Shukri Ramli, who resigned on Dec 25 due to health reasons.

In GE15, PN won 14 state seats in Perlis, comprising nine PAS assemblymen and five Bersatu assemblymen, while Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured one seat through PKR in the Indera Kayangan constituency.

-- BERNAMA