Northern Region News November 10, 2009 17:09 PM Speaker Insists Abu Hassan No Longer Kedah Assemblyman YAN (Kedah), Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Kedah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Dr Abdul Isa Ismail reiterated Tuesday that Datuk Abu Hassan Sarif of the Barisan Nasional was no longer a member of the Kedah state legislative assembly although the matter is pending in court. He insisted that Abu Hassan had disqualified himself as the assemblyman for Kota Siputeh by not attending two consecutive sittings of the assembly, in accordance with the state constitution. On Sept 1, the Election Commission had decided that Abu Hassan, who had won the seat in the 12th general election in March last year, was still its assemblyman. Dr Abdul Isa had filed an application on Oct 1 for a judicial review, challenging the Election Commission's decision retaining Abu Hassan as assemblyman. "The Election Commission has made a decision contrary to the provision in the state constitution. Pending the court decision, Abu Hassan is no longer an assemblyman since Aug 17," he told reporters. Dr Abdul Isa was asked to comment on the withdrawal of a letter of invitation sent to Abu Hassan to attend the state assembly sitting on Nov 17. He said the letter, signed by the secretary of the assembly, was addressed to all assemblymen. "After learning that a letter had been sent to him (Abu Hassan), I withdrew it," he said. The High Court has set Nov 12 to hear the application by Dr Abdul Isa. -- BERNAMA