Anti-hopping bill: Framework mostly settled, first draft next week
Thus, the Attorney-General's Chambers will proceed to prepare the bill for the PSSC's scrutiny when it convenes again next Thursday (May 19).
"The draft bill will be prepared... will incorporate all the decisions on the framework and refinements to the definitions...
The parliamentary special select committee (PSSC) on restricting MPs from switching parties has reached a consensus on "almost all" matters on the framework of the bill.
Thus, the Attorney-General's Chambers will proceed to prepare the bill for the PSSC's scrutiny when it convenes again next Thursday (May 19).
"The draft bill will be prepared... will incorporate all the decisions on the framework and refinements to the definitions (used in the bill) that were decided yesterday," said PSSC chairperson and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.
Apart from the PSSC, the bill will also be reviewed by the Transformation and Political Stability Steering Committee. No date has been set for this.
The steering committee (better known as the "memorandum of understanding committee") oversees the implementation of the confidence-and-supply agreement (CSA) between Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Pakatan Harapan.
There is no fixed deadline for the PSSC to complete its duties although it has proposed that a special Dewan Rakyat sitting be held on June 7 to table the bill.
Must be greenlit by cabinet
Even if the PSSC agrees with the bill by next week, it will still have to be greenlit by the cabinet before it reaches the Dewan Rakyat.
On the topic of transparency, Wan Junaidi assured that all PSSC meetings will be recorded in the Hansard and will be tabled to the Dewan Rakyat.
So far, Wan Junaidi has issued only two updates on the PSSC's progress through press releases. No other PSSC members have revealed details about the proceedings because they are gagged by Standing Order 85.
However, Bersih's written submission revealed seven key questions being pondered by the PSSC in determining the framework of the bill.
Disagreements over the framework of the bill had led to the cabinet deciding abruptly on April 6 to severely amend Wan Junaidi's original bill that was supposed to be tabled on April 11.
Therefore, Wan Junaidi's assurances about the "near consensus" on the framework were likely an indication that the bill was moving closer to fruition.
Apart from Wan Junaidi, two other cabinet members on the PSSC are Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin and Energy and Natural Resources Minister Takiyuddin Hassan, who are also the secretaries-general of Bersatu and PAS respectively.
The "anti-hopping law" was a cornerstone legislation which Ismail Sabri promised in the CSA. It was supposed to be passed by the first meeting of the Dewan Rakyat this year. That deadline lapsed on March 24.
Since 2018, there have been 39 MPs who switched parties, leading to changes of government at the federal and state levels.
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