New date for anti-hopping Bill

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be a new date for another special parliamentary sitting to table, debate and approve the proposed anti-party hopping Bill, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar (pic).

The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) said the date would be decided by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Wan Junaidi said the Joint Steering Committee on Transformation and Political Stability had reached several agreements, including a separate Parliament sitting to table, debate and pass the proposed Bill.

“Both sides have agreed to a new date to be announced by the Prime Minister, in line with Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Order 11(3),” he said in a joint statement yesterday.

The statement was also signed by the steering committee co-chair Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

On Wednesday, Wan Junaidi said the special Parliament sitting this Monday would proceed with the tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, while Dewan Negara would debate the Bill on April 12.

He said the proposed law would not be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday following calls by the Cabinet for more studies to be done on the definition of “party hopping”.

Other matters that were agreed upon by the committee include to support the amendments to the Federal Constitution involving the “enabling clause” under Article 10 to pave the way for the enactment of a new law prohibiting MPs from switching parties.

“The preliminary draft will be distributed to the steering committee to go through before the special Parliament sitting on April 11,” Wan Junaidi said.

He also said the special sitting would be extended for one day on April 12 to table and debate the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022.

“Both sides are committed to giving their support to the Bill to receive a two-thirds majority vote during the two-day special sitting,” he added.

Later when met by reporters, Wan Junaidi expressed his frustration over the delay of the proposed Bill after working on it for over eight months.

The minister said he had to accept the fact that the Cabinet was the highest decision-making body when it came to such matters.

“I am a Cabinet member and need to accept this. My personal feelings is not important,” he said.

He also confirmed that there were some disagreements over certain components of the Bill from members of the government.

But Wan Junaidi denied there was a political sabotage that caused the delay as alleged by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

“I wouldn’t call it a political sabotage but just a difference of opinion,” he said.