Opposition MPs committed to support anti-hopping bill

KUALA LUMPUR: The tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022, on prohibition of members of the Dewan Rakyat party-hopping, scheduled for tomorrow is considered a new era of national politics, with opposition members of Parliament (MPs) expressing their commitment to support it.

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said although there are provisions that are considered incomplete, they can be considered a good start.

"This is our request, it is the result of the MoU (memorandum of understanding) that we agreed with the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob), of course, we will support it," he told Bernama after a meeting involving opposition MPs with Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, at the Parliament building today.

Loke, who is also an MP for Seremban, is confident with the commitment shown by the MPs from the opposition bloc, the bill will obtain two-thirds support in the Dewan Rakyat.

Meanwhile, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu said the bill was considered a new foundation in Malaysian politics for the future.

OPPOSITION-SUPPORT 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

He said it was more meaningful when all the inputs in the bill were discussed and agreed together by both the government and the opposition while putting the interests of the people as the basis of the bill.

PKR Communications director, Fahmi Fadzil, said that the opposition would give an unwavering commitment to supporting the bill.

"I would also like to express my gratitude to YB Wan Junaidi; due to his hard work, he made this bill a reality.

"With this effort, history will be created when this bill is approved later," he said.

Yesterday, Wan Junaidi chaired a session to discuss the bill with government MPs.

The bill is scheduled to be tabled by the Prime Minister tomorrow, and Wan Junaidi will wind up the debate the following day (July 28).

-- BERNAMA