KUALA LUMPUR – The parameters outlined in the anti-party hopping bill should be refined to protect MPs who defect from their parties for opposing their principles, said Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Jerlun-Pejuang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
“Under the suggested specifications, an MP whose principles do not align with that of his party cannot leave even if they have disagreements and will have to wait to be fired if they want to maintain their MP seat.
“This is unfair and we should work on a mechanism where if MPs no longer see eye-to-eye with their party on principal matters, they will still be able to hold on to their MP posts,” he said while debating the bill.
He added that wrongdoing by party leaders could be the factor behind conflict among MPs and their parties.
“What if MPs cannot stand by party leaders who might be involved in bribery, misappropriation of funds, and kleptocracy?
“For the sake of their MP seats, are they just supposed to wait to be kicked from the party?”
He urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate such cases as well as possible instances of kickbacks being offered to entice an MP to jump parties.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said there were several exceptions to the bill, including for MPs who might be fired from their parties, and if a party is disbanded or cancels its registration.
Citing the events leading up to the Sheraton Move, Mukhriz said that a party’s supreme council should be the one to determine party decisions, instead of individual party leaders.
“Before the Sheraton Move, Bersatu’s supreme council decided that it would deliberate on whether or not to leave the Pakatan Harapan coalition. However, Pagoh later fired the party chairman, despite the party constitution stating that the chairman is the supremo.”
As such, he questioned which side would be considered the party’s official stand: party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s (Pagoh-Bersatu) actions, which were not authorised by the party, or its chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Langkawi-Pejuang) who had the backing of six other members who were later removed from the party.
Muhyiddin was subsequently appointed as prime minister by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, paving the way for the party to form Perikatan Nasional.
In February 2020, the Sheraton Move saw Gombak MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali leading several other MPs to quit PKR and lend their support to Bersatu, following Dr Mahathir’s resignation as prime minister. – The Vibes, July 27, 2022
