Lim: I said it 40 years ago – we need an anti-hopping law

Lim Kit Siang. -filepic

ISKANDAR PUTERI: An anti-hoping law should be enacted to stop MPs from switching parties, says Lim Kit Siang.

The DAP adviser said he moved a motion in 1976 for MPs to vacate their seat within 30 days if they resign or were expelled from their parties.

“There should also be a by-election for MPs to renew their mandate as they were previously voted in via a different party ticket.

“That is the Bill I had proposed 40 years ago and I still stand by it,” he said during the Impian Malaysia Environment and Sustainable Development Education camp here yesterday.

Lim said Umno politicians wanting to join Pakatan Harapan should first repent as they had previously supported former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak and 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

He said these Umno leaders should first come out with statements admitting to their mistakes first.

“If they were previously involved in corruption or any abuse of power, they should come forward and face justice first,” he added.

When asked if DAP would accept Barisan National defectors wanting to join the party, Lim said it was a question for the future.

“That is a hypothetical question and we will only consider it if they have come out openly to condemn Najib and 1MDB. Then, we can talk.”

In a separate statement Lim said Najib’s expulsion from Umno could have been the only way to salvage the party.

But the move, he said, might be too late because more Umno leaders were expected to leave the party.

On Friday, Najib posted on his Facebook that he was disappointed with the exodus but added Umno was undergoing a “natural cleansing”.

Lim noted that the Dec 8 anti-Icerd (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) rally by PAS and Umno acted as a catalyst for Umno’s implosion.