Bersatu leader: Party has no more issues with anti-hopping bill

Bersatu is ready to support the anti-party-hopping bill in Parliament, according to a member of the party's supreme council, even as the draft raised concerns over the definition of party-hopping.

Razali Idris said they had issues with the bill as the definition includes elected representatives who are sacked by their party leadership.

"The committee (on the anti-party-hopping bill) chaired by the law minister has agreed with us on this. So now, the definition of party-hopping will not include MPs who are dismissed by their party.

"Because, if it is included, then we would see many party presidents firing those who disagree with them," he told Malaysiakini when contacted earlier today.

Earlier today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Parliament) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in a statement announced that there will be no special Parliament sitting called to table the bill.

Instead, the bill will be tabled during the second meeting of the Dewan Rakyat this year, scheduled to begin on July 18.

Wan Junaidi said it was a decision made by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob because many MPs will be abroad on official business between early and mid-July, and also to save costs.

Several sources claimed the decision may have to do with a concern about getting enough votes to pass the bill. As the bill involves amendments to the Federal Constitution, Ismail Sabri will require 148 MPs to pass it.

Razali, a senator in Parliament's Upper House, said Bersatu only had an issue with the party-hopping term.

"We are okay with other things and ready to debate the bill in Parliament. But if the minister said it is not urgent and can be tabled during normal sitting to cut costs, we have no issue.

"But on our side, we are ready and there is no more issue of Bersatu disagreeing (with the bill)."

Bill deadline lapsed

The bill to create laws aimed at preventing MPs from switching parties is a key component of Ismail Sabri's confidence-and-supply agreement with Pakatan Harapan.

Under the terms of the agreement, the passage of the bill was supposed to have been completed during the first meeting of Parliament this year. That deadline lapsed on March 24.

Ismail Sabri then convened a special meeting of the Dewan Rakyat on April 11 to table the bill. That attempt was stymied by the cabinet’s last-minute changes to the bill.

Instead, the April 11 special meeting decided to form a new select committee specifically to refine the bill. At the time, Ismail Sabri promised to call a special sitting to deal with the bill by the end of May. - Mkini