[UPDATED] ‘Tak syiok’: Wan Junaidi confirms resistance from some in cabinet over anti-hopping law

KUALA LUMPUR – Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar did not mince his words as he expressed frustration over the cabinet’s decision to postpone the tabling of the anti-party hopping bill, having spent months working on it.

The veteran lawmaker also confirmed that there is resistance to certain components of the proposed bill from some cabinet members that eventually thwarted the government’s original plan to see the legislation passed in the Monday special parliamentary sitting.

This pushback includes what defines party-hopping, he added.

Wan Junaidi, however, dismissed suggestions that this is political sabotage.

“I wouldn’t call it political sabotage. It’s more a difference of opinion, from certain people in the government,” he told reporters after chairing a government-Pakatan Harapan memorandum of understanding steering committee meeting, here, today.

When asked how he felt about the deferment, Wan Junaidi said as a cabinet member, he must accept the decision by the majority and that his personal views did not matter.

“It is frustrating. After working on the bill for eight months, and there’s a hitch, it really hurts. I think now everybody has accepted the fact that Wan Junaidi is not happy (tak syiok).”

Earlier today, The Vibes had reported that the plan to table the bill was supposedly hampered by, among others, its failure to garner the support of its own components, with the strongest resistance said to be coming from Bersatu.

Wan Junaidi said the initial agreement is to table the anti-party hopping bill with a related amendment to the federal constitution this Monday.

It was reported earlier that the government had opted to postpone the tabling again to study what defines “party-hopping”.

In a statement, he said the steering committee meeting today agreed to support the amendment to the federal constitution, which will include enacting an enabling clause for the tabling and passing of a new anti-party hopping law in the future.

Meanwhile, on the plan to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms, Wan Junaidi said this may not be tabled in the special sitting, but he is hopeful it can be done by July.

“That is secondary. Our hope is that we will do it by July. A lot more engagements will be held.” – The Vibes, April 7, 2022