Govt urged to enact anti-party hopping law before GE15 - Wanita MCA

KUALA LUMPUR: Wanita MCA today proposed to the government to enact an anti-party hopping law before the next general election to stop the culture of 'political frogs' which is deemed to be getting worse.

Its chief Datuk Heng Seai Kie said the country would not be stable without such a law as a total of 60 elected representatives had defected since the 14th General Election (GE14) on May 9, 2018.

"Taking into account the security of the people and the interests of the country, Wanita MCA would like to call on all political parties regardless of ideology to set aside political games and together fight the COVID pandemic and put the people first," she said.

She said this in her speech at the 45th Wanita MCA general assembly, here which was officiated by the party's secretary-general Datuk Chong Sin Woon.

The conference was attended by 686 delegates from 186 divisions across the country and was held in a hybrid manner which combined physical presence at Wisma MCA as well as virtual attendance.

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In her speech, Heng also suggested the government to review and amend laws that are irrelevant or not in favour of women.

Among the proposals are to impose jail term on former husbands who failed to pay alimony, solve problems relating to citizenship of children from marriage with non-citizens and allow non-citizen spouses to work in Malaysia.

On the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), Heng said Wanita MCA together with the party's Crisis Relief Squad (CRSM) and youth wing were in the midst of recruiting volunteers to help the community register for the programme, while the COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign was also launched today.

"Wanita MCA will make house visits if allowed according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and to set up counters to help the public register for COVID-19 vaccination exercise," she explained.

Earlier, Chong when officiating the assembly said the party was of the view that there was a need for more women to be involved in the MCA Central Committee. Currently, there are eight women representatives on the committee.

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Due to lack of women representatives, it was difficult for the party to voice current issues including those related to family, education, children's rights, employment opportunities for the young and the underprivileged effectively, Chong said.

At a press conference later, Heng when asked about Chong's statement that more women representatives should be involved in party committees and election candidates, said that Wanita MCA had submitted a list of 25 names to be considered by the party's top leadership as election candidates.

-- BERNAMA