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.
June 8, 2022 THE Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) has completed its study of the Anti-Party Hopping Bill draft which they will recommend to be tabled before the Dewan Rakyat in July. According to the Minister in the Prime Minister’s (PM) Office (Parliament and Law) and chairman of the PSSC Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku […]
June 8, 2022 The Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) to study a bill aimed at restricting MPs from switching parties has completed its duties. In a statement today, PSSC chairperson and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said all questions raised by the cabinet on June 1 have […]
June 2, 2022 Two issues regarding a bill prohibiting Members of Parliament from switching parties, have been raised by the Cabinet when it was brought to the Cabinet meeting yesterday. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun had given an […]
May 30, 2022 The Federal Court has fixed Aug 3 to hear a referral brought by the Penang government over the constitutionality of the state’s anti-hopping law involving political parties. The counsel for the Penang state legislative assembly speaker and the state government, Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, when contacted by theedgemarkets.com confirmed the apex court […]
The proposed anti-party hopping law will not prevent another “Sheraton Move” as it will not cover defections by parties within a coalition, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. It will also not cover MPs who are involuntarily expelled from parties. The de facto law minister said the matter was discussed thoroughly by the […]
May 26, 2022 Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar is hopeful that the much-anticipated anti-party hopping bill could be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in July this year. He also confirmed that a contentious provision in the draft of the said bill had been removed, which initially defined […]
May 26, 2022 The long-awaited anti-hopping law, slated to be tabled in July, will not apply to MPs who are sacked by their parties, says law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. According to Berita Harian, Wan Junaidi said MPs sacked by their parties would be able to retain the seats they had won in the […]
May 24, 2022 The passing of several Bills in Parliament, including anti-party hopping and political funding, will be a “golden requirement” before the general election is called, say political leaders. Pakatan Harapan communications director Fahmi Fadzil said several Bills were required to be brought to Parliament before the memorandum of understanding with the government expires […]
May 18, 2022 PASSING the anti-hopping law in time for the 15th general election is key in ensuring Malaysians exercise their duties and vote, Bar Council president Karen Cheah said. The political financing law also needs to be looked at to allow for an equal playing field for all political parties and candidates, Cheah said. […]
May 14, 2022 The draft of the proposed anti-hopping law is ready and the Parliament Special Select Committee (PSSC) is racing to table the Bill in the Dewan Rakyat in July, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. The Attorney General’s Chambers has submitted the draft to the committee, which will meet on May […]
