[UPDATED] Sabah, S’wak must now table anti-hopping law in 60 days: PBS

KOTA KINABALU – Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) is urging the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS)-led state government to pass a state-level anti-hopping legislation in good haste, as the parliamentary act passed today does not apply to the Borneo states.

Its president Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili stressed that such a move needs to be done by the Sabah state assembly within the next two months. He said PBS’ seven reps in the house are ready to lead in the tabling of the anti-hopping enactment at the assembly’s sitting.

He was speaking after the passing of the highly anticipated Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2022, which outlaws party hopping, at the Dewan Rakyat in Kuala Lumpur today.

Ongkili said that the new law does not apply to the state assemblies in Sabah and Sarawak. It is therefore important for both states to table the law at their respective state levels. 

“A special sitting must be called to pass this law at the state level in the next 60 days. 

“To us in PBS, after 37 years, this is truly a dream come true and a recognition of the party’s struggle to ensure political stability, not just in the state but in the country as a whole,” he said in a statement.  

Being among the pioneers of the anti-hopping law, Ongkili said PBS has always opposed such behaviour, describing the “frog-leaping” tradition as sinful and smacking of unprincipled politics. 

“To us, it is evil, unfair, devoid of good ethics and manners. 

“PBS tried to put a stop to party-hopping by passing a law in the state legislature in 1988 to prevent assemblymen from defecting, but it was declared null and void by the high court. 

“We were lonely in this struggle, but now all our hard work paid off,” said Ongkili, who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs).

He said in Sabah, the first known “frog” was the late Datuk Payar Juman, who won the Kiulu seat on an Upko ticket during the state’s first direct election in 1967. 

Although Payar’s defection to Usno brought the downfall of Upko, Ongkili said he personally feels that Payar had gained the opportunity to be appointed as a state minister by the then chief minister, the late Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun. 

“After that, Sabah politics was corrupted by the leap-frogging tradition, causing political instability.  

“Upko president Datuk Madius Seri Tangau repeated history when he abandoned Barisan Nasional to form a government with Warisan in 2018, despite signing a memorandum with PBS and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) at the presidential council that same year.  

“That is a classic example of political betrayal of comrades in pursuit of political posts and personal benefits,” alleged Ongkili. 

Moving forward, Ongkili believes that with the passing of the anti-hopping law, which is expected to be gazetted in September this year, political stability will be restored, and it will create more politicians with principles and integrity.

People more confident to vote: PBRS  

Meanwhile, PBRS deputy president Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup said the passing of the constitutional amendments will serve to protect voters’ interest and trust in politicians who are elected.

“We believe that the amendment provides a clear message to each MP to stand firm on their parties’ principles to protect the mandate of the people,” he said.  

He expressed confidence that it will restore the people’s confidence in the election system, and encourage them to come out and vote in the upcoming general election.  

He described the development as a significant political transformation needed to create stability and mature politics, which in turn will drive economic recovery.

“A stable political landscape will allow the development of the country, increase investors’ confidence, and will create various jobs and new business opportunities that will stabilise the economy of the people,” he said. 

He added that PBRS, as the only Sabah-based component of Barisan Nasional, has been firm in supporting the anti-hopping law, as the party had also passed a proposal to support the anti-hopping bill during its triennial meeting held last February. – The Vibes, July 28, 2022