Zahid pushes govt to expedite anti-hopping law
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is pushing the government to expedite an anti-hopping law to prevent MPs from disappointing voters by switching parties.
His statement today came shortly after Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin announced her departure from Bersatu and her potential resignation from the cabinet.
Zahid said when Zuraida quit her party today, it left the impression that...
Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is pushing the government to expedite an anti-hopping law to prevent MPs from disappointing voters by switching parties.
His statement today came shortly after Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin announced her departure from Bersatu and her potential resignation from the cabinet.
Zahid said when Zuraida quit her party today, it left the impression that it is easy for elected representatives to change parties according to their desires and interests.
He argued that party-hopping has disappointed the public and demonstrated how they lack control over the MPs they voted for.
“This causes the rakyat’s trust in MPs and political parties to erode. It seems to be toying with the people’s vote.
“It is not impossible - without an expedited amendment of the law - that the confidence crisis in our democracy and political institutions will cause a lower voter turnout in the next general election,” he said.
He called on fellow Umno leader Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to no longer compromise on the issue and to firmly support addressing party-hopping among elected representatives.
Zahid remarked that there are many MPs who are loyal to their party, who have not party-hopped, and who should be considered to fill the ministerial post held by Zuraida.
Zuraida is the minister of plantation industries and commodities.
While Zuraida has left Bersatu for Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM), she expressed that she will remain supportive of Ismail Sabri’s prime ministership.
In a statement, she said she decided to join PBM because of its principles of multiracial engagement, women empowerment, youth empowerment, economic development, education, and the advancement of science and technology.
During the second administration of Dr Mahathir Mohamad, between 2018 to 2020, Zuraida was once among the most powerful female politicians in the country, holding the position of PKR vice-president and cabinet minister in charge of housing and local government.
In February 2020, she and nine other PKR MPs defected to Bersatu to be part of the Muhyiddin Yassin administration.
By February this year, some news reports suggested that Zuraida was being sidelined by Bersatu's leadership.
Zuraida also played a low-key role in campaigning during the Malacca and Johor state elections.
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