KOTA KINABALU – Warisan has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to expedite the tabling of the proposed anti-party hopping bill, following the recent defection of one of its assemblymen last Sunday.
Its president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said only the prime minister had the right to call for the tabling of the bill, and not cabinet members.
“I ask for the prime minister to speed it up (setting the date to present the bill),” Shafie said during a press conference, here, today.
“There are parties in the committee that are involved in pushing for the anti-hopping bill, (but they) have contradicting intentions; there are still those ‘buying’ people’s representatives.
“I wish for the leadership in these parties to stop this, so that we will be able to push for the bill to be tabled in Parliament.”
Last Sunday, Warisan lost another representative in Sabah after Kukusan assemblyman Rina Jainal announced her departure for Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah, a party aligned with the state government.
Shafie said the anti-party hopping bill is necessary to maintain the practice of democracy and to avoid people’s representatives from “selling” their values after winning a seat.
“I don’t know the content of the bill, but I will look into it and ensure that it is right. There must be enough punishment to avoid reps from jumping parties in the future,” he said.
He also said he has given instructions to the relevant individuals, including Warisan’s counsel, to take Rina’s case to court, similar to what has been done for other defectors.
Five other Warisan elected representatives have left the party since the 2020 Sabah state elections, namely Lahad Datu MP and Segama assemblyman Mohamaddin Ketapi, Melalap assemblyman Peter Anthony, Sebatik assemblyman Hassan A Gani Pg Amir, Sindumin assemblyman Yusof Yacob and Limbahau assemblyman Juil Nuatim.
On the running of the state government, Shafie said Umno is the dominant party in Sabah, and not Bersatu.
Based on the Sabah elections in 2020, Shafie said Bersatu only has 11 assemblymen, while Umno has 14. He said this meant that Umno had the mandate to form the Sabah government.
“But the party (Bersatu) had resorted to buying off assemblymen and eventually strengthened its position.
“But it is Umno which should be made government and administer the state, not Bersatu.”
Meanwhile, on the Registrar of Societies’ move to reject Warisan’s application to postpone its party elections, Shafie said the party was not affected and is ready to hold its selection process.
However, he said the party will continue to appeal for a postponement.
“If we don’t get (approval), we will do this according to the rule, which is to conduct party elections this year, either in July, August or September, but this year,” he said. – The Vibes, June 7, 2022
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