Anti-Party-Hopping Law: Malaysia Going Backwards

 

I know some will argue that politicians are voted into office by voters, so changing parties goes against the mandate of the voters. Well, you are born Christian or Muslim by God’s or Allah’s mandate (and not by your own choice). So changing religions goes against God’s or Allah’s mandate. Is that not worse, or are voters above God-Allah?

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

On 4th April 2019, a bill proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Malaysia was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat of the Parliament of Malaysia. The bill proposes to amend Article 1(2) so as to restore the status of the two East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak according to the original content of Malaysia Agreement that was signed in 1963.

Despite six hours of debate in the Parliament during the second reading of the bill on 9th April, only 138 MPs supported the bill, 10 votes short of the two-thirds majority of the chamber, 148 votes, required for amendments to the Constitution. The remaining 59 (non-absent) votes were abstentions, all of which are from opposition parties. (Bernama/Daily Express, 10 April 2019)

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An anti-party-hopping law cannot be introduced until the Federal Constitution of Malaysia is first amended. And you need the votes from 147/148 members of parliament to be able to amend the constitution (based on 220/222 MPs).

But then this law will be favourable to the party in power, because never mind how bad the government may be, you can never oust it by crossovers or resignations. And if any government MPs renegade or memberontak, the party can sack them from the party, whereas they will cease to be MPs.

So, no one can vote against his/her own party even if that is the right, noble, honourable, moral, etc., thing to do.

Anyway, that is the mechanics of the whole thing. What I wish to talk about today is the principle of the whole matter.

Politicians claim that Malaysia is a democracy that respects human rights and civil liberties. Muslims and non-Muslims alike condemn the Taliban — and some even say they oppose PAS because PAS is a Taliban party — which does not respect human rights and civil liberties.

Okay, fine, let us go along with that argument for argument’s sake. Let us say Malaysians support a democratic country and respect human rights and civil liberties. This in essence means Malaysians respect all forms of freedoms, rights and liberties — such as freedom of thought, belief, choice, association, and so on.

Freedom of speech has limitations, though, and is subject to what you say. Certain things that you say could get you arrested if it is racist, bigotry, slanderous, etc.

Alright, so Malaysians, in the spirit of democracy, respect all forms of freedoms, rights and liberties — such as freedom of thought, belief, choice, association, and more.

This would mean Malaysians can leave one political party to join another (plus Malaysians can leave one movement, association, society, club, company, religion, marriage, belief system, doctrine, and so much more, and join another).

For example, I once believed the world was flat. Today, I believe the world is round. I once believed the sun rotated around earth. Today, I believe earth rotates around the sun. I once believed God lived on Mount Zeus. Today, I believe God lives up in the sky behind the clouds. I once believed PKR-DAP-Pakatan Rakyat would be able to save Malaysia. Today, I believe the Taliban is far better than PKR-DAP-Pakatan Rakyat. I once believed Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy existed. Today, I no longer believe Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy exist.

Beliefs change over time. I once believed I was God’s gift to women. Today, I get exhausted merely watching Manchester United getting thrashed on the football field and our once ‘star players’ scoring ‘own goals’…sigh.

Yes, it’s no crime to change your mind. And if you pass a law making it illegal to change parties, then you must also pass a law forbidding someone from changing their mind about everything else as well (such as non-Muslims cannot convert to Islam and vice versa).

I know some will argue that politicians are voted into office by voters, so changing parties goes against the mandate of the voters. Well, you are born Christian or Muslim by God’s or Allah’s mandate (and not by your own choice). So changing religions goes against God’s or Allah’s mandate. Is that not worse, or are voters above God-Allah?