BN will ensure it retains Nenggiri state seat in GE14 - Ku Li

He said the focus would be on the seat in view of its incumbent assemblyman Datuk Mat Yusoff Abdul Ghani being disqualified from being a member of the state legislative assembly after being declared a bankrupt, as announced by the Speaker, Datuk Abdullah Ya'kub on June 1.

He said the state BN accepted the decision as the Speaker had the right to make the announcement to inform the people of the seat's vacancy due to the incumbent being confirmed a bankrupt.

He was speaking to reporters after a programme with the people in Bukit Chekati, here, last night.

Tengku Razaleigh who is also the MP for Gua Musang, said the loss of the seat could not be regarded as something which had tarnished the party but was due to a problem involving the individual concerned.

"It (disqualification from the state assembly) was not due to political action by us but an issue involving the assemblyman concerned, causing the loss of the seat under the provisions of the Kelantan State Constitution," he added.

On June 1, Abdullah declared that Mat Yusoff was disqualified from being Nenggiri assembyman due to his bankrupcy, thus rendering the seat vacant.

The state assembly received the announcement letter from the Selangor branch of the Department of Insolvency Malaysia on May 28 that Mat Yusoff from Barisan Nasional had become a bankrupt.

Mat Yusoff, 55, had been Nenggiri assemblyman for three terms since the 2004 general election.