In accepting party-hopping MPs, Pakatan Harapan government then cannot fault the cynicism shown by young Malaysians who only see the "same cast of characters" as before, PKR MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said.

He stated that it must be remembered that people voted for the Harapan coalition in the May general election as they desired genuine political change.

"The vote in the 14th general election was emphatically for change and against BN.

"As such, it is inappropriate if other MPs were to be indiscriminately accepted into any of the Pakatan Harapan component parties especially those who remained silent during the kleptocracy.

"We cannot bemoan the cynicism that has taken hold of young Malaysians regarding politics if it is 'business as usual' with the same cast of characters is all we can offer them," the Setiawangsa MP said in a statement today.

He cautioned that this perception of the younger generation must be considered, especially in view of the plan to reduce the minimum voting age to 18.

Instead, he said the federal government should ensure that it has the resources to serve constituents and ensure opposition and independent MPs were not excluded including in terms of constituency allocations.

Nik Nazmi, who is Setiawangsa MP, added: "Change should not mean that everything stays the same."

The issue of party-hopping MPs surfaced after it was hinted by Bersatu supreme council member A Kadir Jasin recently that some 40 MPs from Umno could crossover.

This came after the admission of Jeli MP and former Umno veteran Mustapa Mohamed into Bersatu last Friday.

A mockery

Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir denied that the party had any hidden agenda in accepting Umno MPs, and maintained that it did not clash with the concept of democracy as practised in the country.
denied.

Even so, the speculation of the mass crossover continued to raise eyebrows among various quarters with other Harapan MPs also expressing concern.

Electoral watchdog Bersih, too, urged caution, saying it would constitute a 'mockery of our democracy'.

De facto law minister Liew Vui Keong had earlier month stated that there was no plan for an anti-party hopping law to deter lawmakers from defecting.