KOTA KINABALU – Sabah opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has filed a private member’s bill on the anti-party hopping law for the state, but the legislative assembly will not be putting it on its agenda.
Sabah speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M. Yahya said he Shafie’s bill will not be brought before the House in its coming session starting next week, as the state government has said that it would be tabling the bill.
“I passed it (Shafie’s private member’s bill) to the (state) government and the answer received is that the government will be tabling the anti-party hopping law.
“So, since the government is going to table it, I don’t see the necessity for (Shafie’s) bill to be tabled,” said Kadzim in a press conference at the Sabah legislative assembly, here today.
The house is due to sit from May 22 to 25.
In March, Shafie, who is Semporna MP and Warisan president, said he would table a private member’s bill to have the anti-hopping law – which is in force at federal level – refined for Sabah to close some loopholes.
Sabah, notorious in its political history for elected representatives who frequently switch parties, has not set any deadline to adopt the law.
Kadzim today said a special sitting could be held if the state government finally decides to table the bill.
“Such a bill linked to the federal constitution will generate a lot of interest for debates. So a day would not be enough. A special sitting would be more suitable,” he said.
Next Monday, the legislative session will open with the head of state’s speech, while the question and answer sessions, as well as debates, will be held on the second and third days. State ministers will give their winding-up speeches to the debates on the last day. – The Vibes, May 16, 2023
