Party hopping among issues to be addressed in constitutional amendments by July next year

A series of amendments to the Federal Constitution will be tabled in Parliament by July next year, including on the issue of party hopping, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the amendments would also cover limiting the tenure of the prime minister.

"This is in our CSA (Confidence and Supply Agreement between the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition and the government) which I am required to implement, at least must be tabled before or during the July meeting," he said when winding up debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the policy level.

Wan Junaidi said other critical matters, including the issue of citizenship of children born abroad to mothers or fathers who are Malaysian citizens, would also taken into account in the amendments to the Federal Constitution during the period.

Commenting further, he said the amendment on this issue of citizenship must be approved by the Conference of Rulers based on Clause (5) of Article 159 of the Federal Constitution and must have the support of at least two-thirds of MPs.

"If the proposed amendment affects the rights of people born before Malaysia Day to become citizens due to their relationship with Sabah and Sarawak or the guarantee of equal treatment between those born and resident in the states of Borneo and those born and resident in the Malay states, the agreement of the Yang di-Pertuas Negeri of Sabah and Sarawak must be obtained," he said.

On this, he said, the Pre-Council meeting and the Conference of Rulers Meeting have been scheduled for Nov 23 and 24.

In that case, the KL High Court, in a landmark decision on Sept 9, ruled that Malaysian mothers with a foreign spouse can automatically pass on their citizenship to their children born outside Malaysia.

On calls for the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution to be scrutinised by a bi-partisan committee, Wan Junaidi suggested that the scrutiny be done by the existing committees set up under Parliament.

-- BERNAMA