Enforcement of anti-hopping law ‘postponed to later date’

PETALING JAYA: The enforcement of the anti-hopping law has been postponed to “a date that will be determined later”, subject to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s assent, says law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

In a written parliamentary reply, Wan Junaidi said the law was gazetted on Sept 6 after the King gave his assent to the constitutional amendment on Aug 31.

He said the King will also set the date for the enforcement of the law to commence at the state level, with agreements from respective sultans and governors of each state.

“Through this amendment, state assemblies can approve amendments to their respective state constitutions,” he said.

“Therefore, the enforcement of the law at the state level is subject to the enforcement of the law at the federal level. Several states like Perak, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan have welcomed the proposal to implement this.”

He was replying to Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) who asked for the states that have agreed to amend their respective constitutions to reflect the amendment to the Federal Constitution.

Wan Junaidi is expected to hold a press conference on the gazetting of the anti-hopping law later this afternoon.

Yesterday, he gave an assurance the law would be in effect by the time the general election is held.

Under the law, MPs will lose their seats if they choose to jump to another party. Exceptions will be given to MPs who are sacked by their party or if their party is dissolved or deregistered.

An MP who is elected as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker will also be exempted from the law.

The law will not apply to members of the Dewan Negara, as currently, senators are elected by state assemblies or through political appointment by the federal government and do not stand for public election. — Free Malaysia Today