Tabling of anti-hopping Bill must not be delayed

THE Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) refers to the news report by a local Malay daily on March 13 quoting a source from the Prime Minister’s Department that the tabling of the anti-hopping Bill will be postponed to another suitable date.

According to Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had promised to table the Bill in Parliament last week, a statement that the government has not denied.

We view the postponement with disappointment and grave concerns, and call on the government to table the Bill as soon as possible in this parliamentary sitting. This would convince the public that the government is still committed to the reform agreement it signed with the Opposition.

The government should not delay the tabling of the Bill to the next parliamentary sitting. The Memorandum of Understanding on Political Transformation signed between the government and Pakatan Harapan states that this reform should be implemented no later than the first sitting of the Fifth Parliament Session. We urge that the Bill be sent for review by a Parliamentary Select Committee after the first reading in order to get input and feedback from all stakeholders through a transparent and participatory processes.

During the Melaka state election in November 2021, Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi promised that they would table an anti-hopping enactment at the state level to “strengthen political stability in the state.”

At the recent Johor state election, former Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad promised as part of the manifesto that an anti-hopping law would be Barisan Nasional’s top priority if they won.

Given Barisan’s promises to enact such a law at the state level and that they have won in both states, the Federal Government, of which Barisan is part, should not delay further in tabling the anti-hopping Bill in this parliamentary sitting in order to facilitate the passage of such law at state level in Melaka and Johor as promised in its election manifesto.

STEERING COMMITTEE

BERSIH