SHAH ALAM – DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng has called upon delegates at a special congress today to support amendments to the party’s constitution to prevent party hopping.
Addressing delegates in Shah Alam today, Lim said the amendment is necessary to prevent elected representatives from abusing the mandate given by their respective constituencies and the party.
“Looking at the track record of our parliamentarians, it seems that we do not need such an amendment as we pride ourselves on being a disciplined party.
“None of our parliamentarians have jumped ship since 2018. We managed to win 42 parliamentary seats and we have managed to retain them still.
“But the amendments are necessary to prevent those who seek to party hop from doing so. If they do, then as a consequence, a by-election will be called.
“The party and the people are more important than the individual. The prospect of wealth and status should not entice someone to party-hop. This will boost confidence in the people to support us further in the coming general election,’’ he said to applause from party delegates.
DAP had previously announced its intention to amend its constitution so that any MP or state assemblyman defying the party leadership’s decisions on certain key matters will be stripped of his or her membership.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said this would be a way to plug loopholes in the anti-party hopping law to deal with lawmakers who harbour intentions to party-hop and do not explicitly do so, but instead behave in other ways to get sacked.
The anti-hopping law that has been passed by both houses of Parliament will see lawmakers who join another party lose their seats – this also applies to independents who join a party after being elected as an independent. The law has been gazetted but is not yet effective pending a date of enforcement.
Lim today assured party members that they can still voice out differing opinions within the party.
“I hope everyone will support this (amendment). This will not reduce any space within the party for members to voice their opinion. Any differing opinions can still be voiced within the party,” he said.
The DAP special congress is being held at the Ideal Convention Centre Shah Alam this morning with the amendment being the main agenda of the meeting.
Another opposition party that has similarly amended its constitution to automatically cancel the memberships of elected representatives who defy party directives is Amanah. – The Vibes, September 25, 2022
