KOTA KINABALU – Warisan deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking has lambasted the government’s excuse of high costs in not holding a special parliamentary sitting on the anti-party hopping bill as a weak one.
The opposition Penampang MP, who is also a member of the special select parliamentary committee to formulate the bill, lamented that the passing of the bill is consequently now delayed by another two weeks.
He said it is unfortunate that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri did not exercise his powers to set a special sitting despite having assured MPs and the public that he would do so.
“The parliamentary select committee under the chair of Law Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi had completed its task and was eager to have the special sitting in the first week of July, which was to table, debate and vote on the anti-party hopping bill.
“On the question of cost, I am bemused that a special sitting had been mentioned several times by Ismail when assuring the MPs and the people that the bill will be tabled.
“To state now the cost as a reason for delaying the passing of the bill by another two weeks is indeed a weak excuse as I am certain the cost has already been tabulated when Ismail suggested for the special sitting to be held before,” said Leiking when sought for comments on the matter.
In announcing the tabling of the anti-party hopping bill in the next Dewan Rakyat sitting, Wan Junaidi indicated that Ismail made the decision after taking into account the cost of holding a special sitting, which he said could come up to approximately RM1,077,600.
Wan Junaidi had also said that many MPs are participating in outstation trips that cannot be postponed due to their commitment to stakeholders in June and July.
Leiking, who is also Moyog assemblyman in Sabah, said Ismail should have weighed the situation more critically, determining whether the cost of holding a sitting to pass the law would be heavier than changing governments like in past years due to the crossovers of turncoat lawmakers.
“I believe there is still time for Ismail to reconsider his decisions and have a special sitting and make this anti-party hopping law a reality to prove that he has the interest of the people at heart,” he said.
Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal earlier this week urged Ismail to hasten the tabling of the law to end defections after the party lost its sixth lawmaker Sunday last week.
The six lawmakers who left the party since the Sabah election in September 2020 are Kukusan assemblyman Rina Jainal, 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. – The Vibes, June 10, 2022
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