GEORGE TOWN – The country needs an anti-defection law now more than ever, following claims that MPs are being enticed to join either the government or opposition, said a lawyer and an Umno veteran.
Tan Sri Mohd Yussof Latiff told The Vibes that if Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants to leave behind a positive legacy, he needs to move to enact a legislation that prevents politicians from party-hopping.
“It is the necessary ‘vaccine’ for the culture of crossovers and defections, which, if left unattended, will destabilise the country.”
The Penang Malays Association president said even if the move betrays the individual rights of lawmakers, it is for the greater good of the public.
This will prevent politicians from betraying their constituents, he added.
“People enter politics to serve, not the other way around (hold on to power). Politicians should serve their communities, first and foremost. If we allow this situation to continue, the country will suffer to no end.”
Lawyer S. Raveentharan agrees, saying the federal government should criminalise the clause, where elected representatives who defect for an unjustifiable reason must be jailed or pay a hefty fine.
“The oath you take during the swearing-in speaks of upholding the constitution, race and religion. It does not say anything about upholding oneself.”
The Lawyers for Justice coordinator said an anti-hopping law is critically needed as it is proven beyond doubt that such treachery can destabilise the country.
DAP’s late Datuk Karpal Singh was among the first to have mooted for the cause, having witnessed the defections in his own party in 2008.
One of Malaysia’s notable downfalls of the federal government happened in 2018, when Muhyiddin led a backdoor coalition of MPs from Bersatu, PAS and Barisan Nasional to claim Putrajaya. – The Vibes, August 7, 2021
