Anti-hopping Bill put off again, Cabinet wants more study

PETALING JAYA: The proposed anti-hopping law will not be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday after all.

The proposed law has been deferred again after the Cabinet, which met yesterday, called for more study to be done on the definition of “party hopping”.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar confirmed that the Bill would not be tabled but declined to state the reasons for the postponement.“Yes, it has been deferred,” he said.

He added, however, that the special Dewan Rakyat sitting would go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the anti-hopping Bill later.

The constitutional amendment will require a two-thirds majority in the House.

With the deferment, it is learnt that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will meet MPs and senators on the matter this weekend.

It was reported on Tuesday that the Cabinet meeting yesterday was to give the nod for the anti-hopping Bill to be tabled on Monday.

The Cabinet decision means the Bill will be deferred for a second time.

It was supposed to have been tabled for first reading on March 24, the final day of the last Dewan Rakyat meeting.

Owing to its complexity and differing views, Ismail Sabri decided to defer the tabling of the Bill to the special one-day sitting on Monday.The proposed Bill had involved constitutional amendments, which among others would see seats fall vacant and a re-election called when an MP switches party or is expelled.

The Bill was part of an agreement under the memorandum of understanding signed between the government and the Opposition last September to initiate political reforms before July 31 this year.The next Dewan Rakyat meeting will be held between July 18 and 28.