[UPDATED] DAP mulls amendments to strip defiant reps of party membership

KUALA LUMPUR – DAP plans to amend its party constitution to remove the membership of MPs and assemblymen who fail to toe the party line “on certain matters” yet to be defined. 

Secretary-general Anthony Loke said this is in line with the constitutional amendments to prevent party-hopping.

DAP will hold a special congress on September 25 to propose these amendments, Loke added in a presser at the DAP headquarters today.

The proposed provisions require any MPs or assemblymen who defy party decisions in certain matters to be stripped of their memberships. 

Loke said the decision was made by the party’s central executive committee (CEC) on Monday following the passing of the historic anti-hopping bill in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday. 

Loke said the party constitution amendment committee, headed by Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen, has been tasked to study the matter thoroughly, and to draft and present the proposed amendment to the CEC within a month. 

“The proposed amendment will be tabled at the upcoming special congress for debate and is subsequently to be approved by qualified representatives present at the said congress,” he said. 

He said the passing of the amendment of the anti-hopping bill is not sufficient to prevent lawmakers and state assemblymen from “hopping” and therefore, the loopholes of the amendment must be “closed”.  

“What is worrying is that if an MP has the intention to party hop or defect to other parties, they will not leave the party but do certain things that will result in the party sacking him. 

“By doing so, they will not need to vacate his seat and there won’t be a by-election,” he said.  

While expressing full confidence in all party MPs, he said the proposed amendment to the party constitution is taken as a precautionary measure and a safeguard, as there have been assemblymen who have defected from the party before this.  

However, he refuted claims by certain quarters that the party has opted for draconian measures, saying the new proposed provision to strip MPs’ and assemblymen’s membership will only come into effect under special circumstances. 

“For instance, in important policy issues like the appointment of a prime minister, the Budget voting, vote of confidence or other major voting in the parliament.

“This does not mean they can’t criticise me or have different opinions from me. They can criticise me all they want, but when it comes to the party’s decision, they must follow.” – The Vibes, August 3, 2022