KUALA LUMPUR: The exact enforcement date of the anti-hopping law has yet to be determined, says Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
The Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) said in a parliamentary written reply that the enforcement date of the legislation would be determined at a later point.
"The legislation on the prohibition of members of the House of Representatives to switch parties has received the approval of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Aug 31, 2022 and has been gazetted on Sept 6, 2022.
"However, the effective implementation of the law has been postponed to another date, subject to the approval of the King," he said in reply to a question from Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah).
Cha had asked the Prime Minister to state the responses made by all states in Malaysia regarding the implementation of the anti-party hopping law.
Cha also asked the Prime Minister to list out the states that disagreed with the newly-introduced law.
Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara passed amendments to the Federal Constitution to prevent party hopping by Members of Parliament (MPs) on July 28 and Aug 9 respectively.
Wan Junaidi noted that Section 1(3) of the act provided the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the power to enforce the law in states with the approval of the Sultans or Rulers of those states.
He said that the determination of the effective starting date of the application of Section 6 of the Act at the state level will also be subject to the effect of the act at the federal level.
"As such, several states such as Perak, Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan have welcomed the proposed implementation of this Act at the state level," he said.
