KUALA LUMPUR: DAP is proposing to add a new provision in its constitution to sack any MP or assemblyman who fails to toe the party line when it comes to policy matters, says its secretary-general Loke Siew Fook.
Loke said the proposed amendment was to plug a loophole in the recent tabling and passing of the Constitution (Amendment)(No.3) Bill 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat to prevent party hopping.
The Seremban MP said the matter was decided by the party central executive committee (CEC) during a meeting on Aug 1.
The DAP, he said, will hold a special congress on Sept 25 to make a final decision on the matter.
"A committee set up to discuss the proposed amendment to its constitution, chaired by Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, has been given the task to deliberate this thoroughly and submit a proposal to the CEC within a month.
"The proposal will then be debated at the special congress for it to be endorsed," he told reporters at the party headquarters on Wednesday (Aug 3).
Loke said the party amendment was necessary as under the Anti-Hopping Bill, MPs or assemblymen who are sacked from the party are not considered to have jumped ship.
"If they are sacked, they will not have to vacate the seat. So this is a loophole which we need to plug," he said.
He said there was also a possibility that an MP or assemblyman will not defect on his own but will do things which may force the party to sack him.
"So, if the party sacks him, he will not have to vacate the seat," he said.
Loke said when the provision is added into the party constitution, a wakil rakyat who is sacked must vacate the seat.
He said some may view the proposed amendment as draconian but the party was left with no other option.
"A member will only be sacked under very special circumstances such as not abiding by the party's decision on matters such as the election of the Prime Minister, voting and Budget," he said.
He said any DAP rep who is sacked will have to vacate his or her seat as the party constitution was a legitimate document approved by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).
"When the ROS approves this new provision, it becomes binding," he said.
Asked if making candidates sign an Akujanji document before the general election was insufficient, Loke said some may later claim that they did so under duress.
"So we feel it is better to incorporate a provision in the party constitution to force them to automatically vacate the seat once they are sacked," he said.
Separately, Loke said they have also named several representatives to sit in committees set up by Pakatan Harapan to face the coming general election.
He said Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong, Raub MP Tengku Zulpuri Shah Raja Puji and Batu Gajah MP V. Sivakumar will sit in a committee to discuss seat distribution while Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong, party social media bureau chairman Syahredzan Johan and Kluang MP Wong Shu Qi will sit in the strategies committee.
Its representatives to the mobilisation committee are Sekinchan assemblyman Ng Suee Lim, Johor DAP vice-chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali and Wu Him Ven while DAP Socialist Youth chief Lee Chuan How, Batu Kawan MP P. Kasthuriraani and Chan Foong Hin will join the manifesto committee.
