Party hopping has become common practice in the Malaysian political system. Election seasons are notorious for rumours of MPs being offered positions in government, millions of ringgit, and more, to switch political allegiances. These corrupt practices are endemic and must be curbed.
While an MP does have the freedom to associate, the often underhanded ways in which this occurs leaves voters feeling betrayed and risks eroding the trust of the public in the election process. It reached its head in 2020 when several political betrayals caused the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan federal government.
An anti-hopping law must be introduced which includes mechanisms that allow for an MP to switch parties while also preserving the integrity of the electoral process. This may include a process for new elections when such changes happen. In any case, the main goal must be to increase transparency and curb the corrupt practices used to buy over MPs, this is where money politics must be eliminated.
July 11, 2022 The much awaited anti-hopping bill does not require further Cabinet approval as it is now the responsibility of Parliament, says law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. Wan Junaidi said the moment a parliamentary select committee (PSC) was given the responsibility of drafting and refining the bill, Cabinet approval was no longer required. […]
July 10, 2022 Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar expects the anti-hopping law to be implemented by the end of September. He said the law to discourage party-hopping by elected representatives should be gazetted by then, reiterating that the bill would be tabled on the first day of the next parliamentary sitting next Monday, The […]
Julai 10, 2022 Undang-Undang Anti Lompat Parti dijangka mula dilaksanakan menjelang penghujung bulan September tahun ini. Memetik laporan daripada The Borneo Post, Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Parlimen dan Undang-Undang), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar berkata, Undang-Undang Anti Lompat Parti itu akan diwartakan pada tempoh tersebut dan Rang Undang-Undang (RUU) bagi akta terbabit […]
July 10, 2022 The refined version of the Anti-Party Hopping Bill is set to be presented to the Parliament on July 18, according to the country’s de facto law minister Datuk Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. “As far as the laws are concerned, it is ready to be presented. I have a timeline and it […]
By Sherilyn Pang JULY 8 2022 ‘Pengkhianat’ — the Malay word for traitor. Its contemporary use in reference to politicians that beguile their voters, having abandoned their original party’s principles and values with whom they stood for during elections, denotes a strong abhorrence for such practices. After winning on the latter’s ticket, they ‘hop over’ […]
July 7, 2022 The Attorney General’s Chambers will print the draft Bill on the anti-hopping law as soon as the Cabinet approves the Bill during its meeting slated for July 13, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Parliament and Law said he would […]
July 3, 2022 Several “very influential” members of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet were allegedly stymying the push to enact a law against political defection before the general election, according to sources. These sources alleged to news portal Free Malaysia Today that such efforts were in direct opposition of other ministers’ publicly stated desire to see […]
June 18, 2022 There is an immediate need for the country’s laws to be transformed to keep up with changing times, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said. Officiating at the Golden Jubilee celebration of University Malaya’s (UM) Faculty of Law, he said improvements will ensure the wellbeing of Keluarga Malaysia (the Malaysian Family). The Prime Minister […]
June 9, 2022 The anti-hopping bill will be tabled at the next meeting of Parliament, which is scheduled to begin on July 18, says law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. He said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had decided that there was no need for the government to hold a special sitting to table and […]
Jun 8, 2022 Rang Undang-Undang (RUU) Anti-Lompat Parti akan dibentang dan dibahaskan dalam Mesyuarat Khas Parlimen pada minggu pertama Julai ini, kata Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Parlimen dan Undang-undang), Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. Beliau berkata, mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas Menimbang RUU Perlembagaan (Pindaan) dan Mengenai Peruntukan Larangan Ahli Dewan Rakyat Bertukar Parti bersetuju dan […]