Govt will implement anti-party hopping law, but yet to decide if it should be a criminal offence, says law minister

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed anti-party hopping law will be enacted eventually, but the government has yet to decide to make it a criminal offence for MPs to party-hop, says Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic).

"The government's stand is that this law will be implemented, but whether or not it becomes an offence if MPs party hop, it depends on the draft of the Bill," said the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department during his winding-up speech at the Royal Address on Thursday (Sept 23).

Wan Junaidi was responding to Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Puchong), who interjected and asked about whether the government has plans to make it a criminal offence for MPs who party hop.

The de facto law minister said the proposed Bill can be discussed once the draft is completed.

Wan Junaidi said a draft would take time, given the intricacies of the matter.

"Please, because the motion just came in, I have discussed with the Attorney General and this government is only three weeks old.

"The legal process doesn't take three days or three weeks. It takes time."

Wan Junaidi also assured MPs that he will not bulldoze any Bill in the House and he is looking forward to discussing the new law with all MPs.

The government had agreed under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) it signed with the Opposition on Sept 13 to include anti-party hopping as part of the reforms, with the proposed law to be tabled at the first meeting of Parliament next year.