Why the delay in enforcing anti-hopping law, asks Bersih

 

The bill on the anti-hopping constitutional amendment was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on July 28. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: Electoral reform group Bersih has questioned the delay in enforcing the anti-hopping law, which was gazetted earlier this month.

Bersih said with the 15th general election inching closer, it was imperative for the act to be implemented to ensure that voters’ choice would not be invalidated by post-election defections.

Under the amendment, MPs who switched parties will have their seats automatically vacated and a by-election will be called.

Bersih said that law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had declared in August that the amendments would be enforced latest by mid-September.

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However, it was recently reported that the law would only come into force on a date set by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong by notification in the federal gazette.

“Bersih is curious as to why the enforcement of this amendment is being delayed,” it said in a statement.

It went on to call Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to advise the King to put into effect the constitutional amendment without any further delay.

The group said the constitutional amendment would encourage a good voter turnout in future elections.

The bill on the anti-hopping constitutional amendment was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on July 28, where a total of 209 MPs voted in favour of the bill, while 11 MPs were absent.

The bill was later unanimously approved by Dewan Negara through a bloc vote, with 52 senators supporting the bill while seven senators were absent when the voting took place. - FMT