[UPDATED] Give select committee one month to weigh anti-hopping bill: Loke

KUALA LUMPUR – DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke (Seremban-PH) today called for the formation of a parliamentary special select committee to first scrutinise and identify all constitutional amendments required to pave the way for an anti-party hopping law.

When debating the amendment for Article 10 of the federal constitution, he said the second reading of today’s amendment should be postponed pending the findings of the committee he suggested.

He added that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been made aware of this proposal, following a meeting they had this morning between government and opposition leaders before the start of today’s special sitting.

“I suggest the select committee then be given one month to carry out their duties, where we hope to see another special sitting called, hopefully before the end of May, for us to bring back the constitutional amendment.

“This will include tabling the anti-hopping bill for both the amendment and bill to be read and passed during this special sitting,” he said in Parliament today

He also included how such an anti-hopping law had been mooted decades ago by former DAP leaders, one being Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang in the 1970s, and also former chairman, the late Karpal Singh.

He said DAP has fallen victim to MPs who defected after winning their seats under the party’s ticket, intensifying his calls for the select committee to study these probable hopping scenarios.

He added how the eventual introduction of the anti-hopping law will aid and improve public perception of the country’s democratic system.

“That is why we agreed for this amendment to be postponed and to be referred to the select committee to ensure everything is properly tabled and drafted.

“And for DAP, I have suggested that Puchong MP (Gobind Singh Deo) be our representative to sit in this select committee to study these amendments and bills.” – The Vibes, April 11, 2022