Umno will table a motion to amend the party constitution during its general assembly next month to be "in line" with the anti-hopping law that was passed in Parliament last July.

Its vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin told Malaysiakini that this would be the crux of the motion that would be tabled in a session on Dec 23.

The party will have its general assembly at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur from Dec 21 to 24.

"(It is to) include provisions that will comply with the requirements of the anti-hopping law," he said.

When asked if it would be similar to what other parties like Amanah and DAP had done recently, Khaled (above) hinted that it may be, but stressed it would be up to the Umno supreme council.

"I still don't have the details of how this provision would be shaped, but it is aimed at making (the party constitution) comply with the law against party hopping so that it will be more detailed and in line with the law.

"Usually I would be in charge of handling the draft (of motions), but I have yet to get a decision from the supreme council on what it will look like," he added.

According to the Kota Tinggi MP, the party’s supreme council will work out and decide the content of the motion. The supreme council is expected to meet over the matter soon.

However, since the Umno general assembly is meeting after the vote of confidence in Parliament on Dec 19, this means that there are currently no provisions preventing BN MPs from going against the coalition’s line to back Anwar Ibrahim as prime minister.

Law’s key features

On July 28, the Dewan Rakyat passed the constitutional amendment bill aimed at discouraging MPs from switching parties.

The key feature of the bill is that it sought to introduce Article 49A, which stipulates that an MP will cease to be a member of the Dewan Rakyat on two conditions:

  1. The MP "resigns" from or "ceases to be a member of" the political party that he or she was a member of upon being elected, or

  2. The MP, having been elected while being a member of a political party, joins a different political party.

The new law will also apply to MPs who were without a party membership upon being elected but subsequently joined a political party.

Following this, Amanah and DAP had taken it upon themselves to amend their respective party constitutions to make any MP, or state assemblyperson who goes against party decisions automatically lose their membership.

The move was seen as a way to discourage their elected representatives from going against party decisions, as the new law does not constitute sacking from the party as party hopping.

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