Sarawak does not need anti-hopping law, says state minister

KUCHING: Sarawak does not need its own anti-hopping law following Parliament's passing of constitutional amendments to prevent party switching by MPs, says a state minister.

Sarawak Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said this is because the Election Act was a federal matter.

"For Sarawak, we are just waiting for the anti-hopping Bill to be gazetted to become law,” he said, adding that this was his personal opinion.

Abdul Karim, who is also Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president, was speaking to reporters after attending the gala dinner of the Asean Sub-Committee on Culture and Asean Plus Three Cultural Cooperation Network meetings here on Thursday (July 28) night.

He said the Bill's unanimous passing in Parliament was a positive development in the country's political landscape.

"If anyone plans to contest representing a party, they should opt to remain with that party, rather than jumping ship halfway through.

"That would be a betrayal of the trust given by the people," he added.

On Thursday, all 209 MPs present in the Dewan Rakyat voted in favour of constitutional amendments to create anti-hopping provisions in the Federal Constitution.

The Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2022 will now be tabled in the Dewan Negara for the Senate’s approval.

The Bill stipulates that MPs who defect from the political parties they represented as election candidates or who become independents will have to vacate their parliamentary seats.

However, MPs who change political parties when their former parties have been deregistered or who are sacked from their parties will not lose their seats.