Don’t incite people’s anger, Zahid warns Umno ministers on anti-hopping bill

 

Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says the deferment of the anti-hopping bill will be a massive disappointment for Malaysians who have been waiting for such a law to be enacted. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has warned party members in the Cabinet to take a stronger stand on the anti-hopping bill which has been delayed further, or risk inciting anger from the people.

In a Facebook post, Zahid said there seemed to be a lack of assertiveness and political will following the further deferment in tabling the bill, questioning if there was any duplicity in play over the delay.

He said the deferment would be a massive disappointment for Malaysians who have been waiting for such a law to be enacted immediately.

“Umno became a victim of party-hopping when some of its MPs party-hopped after Barisan Nasional lost (in GE14).

“I have already stated that the current pact between Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Pakatan Harapan needs to be reviewed as it seems weak in expediting the tabling and passing of this law.

“It is now time for members of the government from Umno to take a stronger stand in handling this issue before they incite greater anger from the people, who want this anti-hopping law expedited,” he said.

Yesterday, sources told FMT the Cabinet had asked for revisions to the anti-hopping bill and that Putrajaya was ironing out several issues, including what constituted party hopping.

Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar later confirmed that the bill, which was scheduled to be tabled in a special Dewan Rakyat sitting on April 11, had been deferred again because the Cabinet did not agree on its tabling.

However, Wan Junaidi said the special Dewan Rakyat sitting will go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the tabling of the bill. - FMT