PETALING JAYA – Despite recent moves by four Bersatu MPs who switched their support, the number of MPs backing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat theoretically remains at 147.
This, explained former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Tan Sri Wan Junadi Tuanku Jaafar, was because the four MPs merely stated their support for the government.
“They did not declare that they were leaving the party, nor were they expelled from the party,” he said as reported by Sinar Harian.
According to Wan Junaidi, the law clearly stated that the shifting of support by the four MPs from a voting perspective involving proposed government bills did not change their respective political ideologies.
“This is not something new in other countries. Though it may be a new scenario in our Dewan Rakyat, this is common elsewhere where MPs support proposals from the opposing bloc but still maintain their respective positions in Parliament,” said Wan Junaidi.
He said these MPs did not violate the anti-party hopping law and their decision to support any government bill is their personal right.
Earlier, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul had explained that the anti-party hopping law did not prevent any MP from offering individual support to the prime minister.
He said an MP would need to vacate his or her seat if they switched to another party, quit their own party or an independent MP joined a political party.
“In this case, these MPs have merely pledged their support to the prime minister and this does not violate any regulations and there is no need for their seats to be vacated,” he said.
Recently, four Bersatu MPs pledged their support for Anwar’s leadership, claiming it was for the well-being of their constituents.
The four MPs are Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), and Datuk Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang). – The Vibes, November 11, 2023
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