DAP’s proposal on sacking rebels is puzzling, says party insider

 

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook had said the amendment was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law.

PETALING JAYA: Questions have been raised over plans by the DAP to allow the sacking of elected representatives who do not toe the party line on “certain matters” .

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has said it was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the new anti-hopping law, but a party insider said the amendment might not be necessary.

A political analyst, Oh Ei Sun of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said Loke’s plan was still vague in nature. The extent to which the proposal would affect elected representatives boiled down to how the amendment would define toeing the party line, he said.

The party insider, who asked to remain anonymous, said the DAP’s constitution already provided powers to sack members over disciplinary matters.

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However, sacking a member because of differences in thought or ideas, would be “asking for trouble”, he said.

“I actually don’t understand what (Loke) is trying to say or what he’s trying to do with this amendment. The party can already sack people for disciplinary matters, even for bankruptcy or for being found guilty of criminal acts,” he said.

“Toeing the line is a very subjective thing. Who decides the party line? If they want to support Dr Mahathir Mohamad as prime minister, but one MP does not want to, can they sack the MP? They shouldn’t be able to.”

He also questioned whether it was necessary to go to the expense of holding a special congress for this amendment.

A new anti-hopping law passed by the Dewan Rakyat last week provides that an MP who is sacked by the party does not need to vacate the seat, depriving the party of one vote in the Dewan Rakyat.

Loke said this could lead to a situation where those intending to defect intentionally created problems for their parties in the hope of getting sacked.

However Oh said there was a need to distinguish between the various differences of opinion that elected representatives could have with their parties.

In a healthy democratic system MPs should comply with the party decision on support for a prime minister, or the government budget; however, MPs should be free to vote according to their conscience or ideology on other issues which do not concern the formation or fall of a government, he said.

DAP will hold a special congress on Sept 25 to debate the proposed amendments to the party constitution. - FMT