Highs and lows of much anticipated anti-hopping laws
Yesterday the nation saw MPs returning to Parliament for a special sitting to table and debate the Constitution (Amendments) (No 3) Bill 2022. It was to add an enabling clause under Article 10 of the constitution to stop MPs from switching parties.
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The special sitting includes the meeting of Dewan Rakyat on April 11 and a special sitting of the Senate on April 12.
It was to add an enabling clause under Article 10 of the constitution to stop MPs from switching parties.
However, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Wan Juniadi Tuanku Jaafar had said the amendments involving Article 10 would not be voted in the House.
This comes after MPs decided to refer the amendments to Parliamentary Select Committee for further consideration over several broad wordings, especially on freedom of association.
The anti-hopping bill is now expected to be tabled in the coming Parliament sitting that begins from July 18 to Aug 4.
Special sitting by the Dewan Negara in anti-hopping laws was also postponed after the Dewan Rakyat failed to vote on the bill.
MPs that party hopped debating on anti-hopping laws, says Bung Moktar
But several MPs were unhappy with the delay.
Nga Kor Ming (PH-Teluk Intan) urged the government to announce the date for the special sitting on anti-hopping laws to be tabled. He said this is to avoid speculations.
It was earlier reported that the laws may be tabled in July, then it was said it will be tabled in May.
But Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has said the bill will now go back to the parliamentary select committee to draft the anti-hopping law. It will consist of representatives from the government and the opposition.
Sabah Umno MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar had said it was weird as some MPs giving speeches were the ones who party-hopped.
He also agreed with opposition Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng that party-hoppers should be criminalised.
A total of 39 MPs have switched parties since the 2018 general elections, the nation also saw three prime minister's being appointed in a single parliamentary term.
Parti Bangsa Malaysia's (PBM) Julau MP Larry Sng had urged not to include independent MPs in the bill.
He said this is because the independent MP won through its hard work and not through the party's logo and support.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) said MPs should not lose their seats automatically if they are sacked from their party, as it could be open to abuse.
Steven Choong (PBM-Tebrau) had also raised the issue of hung Parliament where non-party representatives or coalition can form a government.
Speculation is rife that general elections will be held by August this year.
Parliament automatically dissolves when its term expires in May 2023.
