KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — Government and opposition lawmakers today put aside their political differences to come to a consensus on the government’s efforts to table an amendment to the Federal Constitution to prohibit members of the Dewan Rakyat from switching parties.
Langkawi MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the amendment was necessary to show respect towards the people’s mandate as party-hopping could cause the democratically-elected government to collapse.
“We need to stop this, I would like to thank the government for eventually tabling the motion for the House to debate and make a decision,” he said when debating the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No. 3) 2022 at the Dewan Rakyat here.
Kota Raja MP Mohamad Sabu said the bill should not only be seen from a legal point of view but also from the moral aspect of MPs.
He said enacting an anti-party hopping law would restore the people’s confidence in the country’s parliamentary system thus preventing MPs from betraying the mandate given by the people.
Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Sibuti MP Lukanisman Awang Sauni and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, meanwhile suggested that a ‘fixed term’ be provided in the bill to prevent a general election from being held early and a change of government before reaching the five-year period.
“Five years means five years, there is no room for corruption, because MPs are no longer allowed to switch parties, no more excuses such as we have a strong economy (to hold early general election) from the government…even though it is less than three years,” said Mohamed Nazri.
Pontian MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan suggested that MPs who change parties be punished by not being allowed to contest in by-elections and they must return the money used for the general election to their former party.
Semporna MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal also congratulated the government for tabling the bill which he described as an effort to chart a better future for the country.
Pasir Mas MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said the tabling of the bill which was a result of the consensus between government and opposition MPs would give new life to the country’s democratic system.
He said the party-hopping culture would only give a bad impression of the country’s democratic system and cause the MPs to lose the people’s respect.
“Once the people’s respect is lost, we will see the effects during the general election… people don’t care because to them politicians are all the same. We need to be an MP that has principles,” he said.
Seremban MP Anthony Loke said in the current political scenario, the consensus that has been reached between the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) would reform the country’s political landscape.
He said PH fully supported the political reset agenda including efforts to streamline the country’s political system to ensure national political stability.
A total of 41 MPs took part in the debate on the bill.
The sitting continues tomorrow.
— Bernama
