Zahid: Barisan to contest seats won in GE14 but ‘lost’ when MPs switched parties

Ahmad Zahid: ‘Barisan must figure out ways to stop party-hopping, which is something undignified.’

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional is planning its own measures to prevent its elected representatives from crossing over to other parties after the next general election.

Barisan chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it needed to start preparing ways to bind the loyalty of members and leaders of the coalition’s parties.

“This includes prospective candidates for the polls.

“Although there is a proposal for an anti-hopping law which was submitted by (Pengerang MP) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, we should not be too concerned whether the law is passed or not.

“Barisan must figure out ways to stop party-hopping, which is something undignified,” he said when opening Parti Makkal Sakti’s 13th annual general meeting that was broadcast online yesterday.

Besides Azalina’s proposal, the government also included an anti-hopping law as among the reforms to parliamentary and government administration in the memorandum of understanding signed with the Opposition on Sept 13.

Ahmad Zahid, who is Umno president, added that Barisan would also put its candidates in seats they won in GE14 but “lost” when the lawmakers switched parties.

“We will take back what is ours. There will be no haggling or bargaining and we will take back what is ours,” he said.

Although no party was mentioned, it is understood that Ahmad Zahid was referring to the 13 parliamentary seats that were won under the Umno ticket but whose MPs then crossed over to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia.

Ahmad Zahid also assured Makkal Sakti that the party would be given the opportunity to contest in the next general election.