Anti-party hopping law: Sarawak AG still studying next move

KUCHING: The Sarawak Attorney-General's (AG) Chambers is looking into the next move that should be taken to introduce the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill (No.3) 2022 on the provision to to prevent state assemblymen from hopping over to another party.

Sarawak AG, Datuk Seri Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid said the AG's Chambers had looked at the amendment but no decision had been made yet.

"Any decision to be made on the matter including whether the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly needs to table an anti-party hopping bill at the state level will be made by the Sarawak government," he told reporters at an event held at the Kuching Court Complex, today.

Last July 30, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) senior vice-president, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the Sarawak AG needed to study the next move to be taken following the Federal Constitution amendment.

He said Sarawak already had a provision in its State Constitution prohibiting party hopping, but it could not be implemented as it was in conflict with the Federal Constitution.

On July 28, a Federal Constitution amendment bill was passed in Parliament for a provision be made that prevents Members of Parliament from changing party or better known as party hopping after obtaining more than two-thirds majority support, thus creating history in the country's political landscape.

Before this, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili urged the Sabah and Sarawak State Legislative Assemblies to table an anti-party hopping bill at the state level within 60 days.

Ongkili said this was because the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill prohibiting parliamentarians from party hopping was not applicable in both states.

-- BERNAMA