Anti-party hopping law requires in-depth study - Annuar Musa

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federal Constitution (Amendment) (Anti-Party Hopping) Bill requires in-depth study before it is tabled in Parliament.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said it was important for an in-depth study on the matter to avoid any problems regarding party-hopping in future.

"To draft a bill it is not as easy as we think because we have to think of the method, whether everything is made in one shot in the Constitution only or more orderly to amend clauses in the Constitution as a policy...otherwise, the bill can be null and void.

"We already have the experience of anti-party hopping law (which) in Kelantan, but when the case was brought to court, for example, in the case of Nordin Salleh, which is our reference now, the court decided that the law cannot be applied because it contradicts certain provisions in the Constitution," he told reporters here today.

He said this when asked to comment on a statement by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, as reported by the media, that the bill would not be tabled at the Special Session of the Dewan Rakyat this Monday ( April 11).

According to Annuar, the government is committed to continue with the drafting of the bill and currently is actively engaging with various parties, including the opposition.

"So far, the Cabinet has made a resolution and is committed to have the Anti-Party Hopping Act and our discussions with the opposition so far, showed that we are on the same page where both parties remain with the stand as in the MoU (memorandum of understanding)," he added.

In another development, Annuar, when asked on the proposal for the Malay language to be used as the second official language of ASEAN, but it was rejected by Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Nadiem Makarim, said, the matter did not need to be prolonged.

He said the Malay language meant by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is not only spoken in Malaysia but also used and spoken in Indonesia and several other countries.

"The Indonesian language congress which was held in Medan in 1954, among others, decided that the origin and policy of the Indonesian language is the Malay language which is adapted to the current development of the Indonesian society.

"Therefore, this matter does not need to be prolong as there is a basic agreement for ASEAN countries to try to make Malay the second language in ASEAN," he said.

On April 1, Ismail Sabri was quoted as saying that Malaysia and Indonesia will continue to make efforts to uplift the status of Bahasa Melayu, which may become an ASEAN language one day.

Both countries have agreed to use Bahasa Melayu as a language of communication at every international conference.

Earlier, Annuar visited a motorcyclist, Jamal Shanker Ab Rahman, 45, who was injured in an accident on the Kerinchi Link last Tuesday, at the Cheras Pantai Beach Hospital.

Following the incident, Annuar said a safety application was being discussed to be developed with a team of volunteers to enable motorcyclists involved in road crashes to obtain assistance, such as for towing, ambulance and police assistance.

"InsyaAllah, in a week or two, I plan to launch an app where motorcyclists can press one button to get towing, ambulance and police assistance. I have spoken to Uncle Kentang (Kuan Chee Heng) and his team. I hope it can be launched in the month of Ramadan," he added.

-- BERNAMA