DAP man defends govt, says it is committed to anti-hopping bill

An opposition MP from DAP has defended the government after the latest deferment in the tabling of the anti-hopping bill, saying he does not doubt the commitment from Putrajaya.

Klang MP Charles Santiago said he also believes Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob is in favour of the bill but is facing objections from parties within the government.

“There is commitment by the prime minister to honour the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakatan Harapan (PH).

“I think there’s a general feeling to ‘push for it’, but it is being held back by objections, especially by parties within the government,” he said.

He added that he could also understand law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s frustration over the latest twist to one of the key reforms agreed under the MoU between Putrajaya and PH.

Under the MoU, the anti-hopping bill was supposed to be tabled during the first Dewan Rakyat sitting of this year, which ended last month.

Yesterday, Wan Junaidi said the tabling of the bill had been deferred again and that the Cabinet had not agreed to tabling it at a special Dewan Rakyat sitting on April 11.

It was reported that the government wanted to iron out pertinent matters like the definition of party hopping and also to amend the Federal Constitution before tabling the bill.

Wan Junaidi said the special Dewan Rakyat sitting next Monday would still go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the tabling of the anti-hopping bill.

Santiago questioned if the government would be able to convince those against the bill.

“Perhaps they could ram it through regardless of indifference by certain parties.

“Those who are against the bill have put the whole country in a difficult position because I think there is a perception that this is a good bill. Therefore, it should happen,” he said.

Santiago also challenged Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin to state his stand on the matter.

Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan had earlier denied reports that Cabinet members from the party were against a provision in the draft of the anti-hopping bill.

Meanwhile, former law minister and Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said took the government to task over the latest deferment, saying she felt the government was insincere.

“Where is the sincerity,” she tweeted with a screenshot of the definition of “political procrastination”. FMT

DAP man defends govt, says it is committed to anti-hopping bill

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