Anti-hopping laws: PN reps allowed loopholes, says Saifuddin

Perikatan Nasional representatives blocked attempts by Pakatan Harapan to introduce stringent laws that would force MPs to vacate their seats should they go against the party whip.

This was revealed by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who was part of the Harapan delegation in the technical committee working on the draft anti-party-hopping bill last year.

“Harapan’s position was that MPs who act against the decision of the whip on matters such as the supply bill, vote of confidence, and any bill that has an implication on the position of the government, would have lost their seat and a by-election would be called,” he said.

The job of a whip is to ensure party members vote according to the party’s platform in a legislature.

Saifuddin (above) said Harapan also proposed that MPs who are sacked by the party for disciplinary issues or violations of the party constitution will also be considered to have lost their seats.

“PN was represented by (Bersatu secretary-general) Hamzah Zainudin and (PAS secretary-general) Takiyuddin Hassan. PN did not agree with Harapan’s proposals,” the minister said on Facebook.

Saifuddin said Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was the law minister in charge of the bill, decided that any provisions without a consensus would not be included in the bill.

“In the end, how would an MP vacate their seat? Firstly, joining another party. Secondly, becoming an independent.

“(If an opposition MP) supports the prime minister? The seat won’t be vacated,” said the PKR secretary-general.

‘Ministers objected to clause’

Meanwhile, Wan Junaidi told Sinar Harian that his original bill in 2021 addressed the loopholes that were recently used by four Bersatu MPs to go against PN and back Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

He said four cabinet ministers during the Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration objected to a clause that stated if an MP changed their support in the Dewan Rakyat to the opposing bloc, the anti-hopping law would be triggered.

“When the cabinet rejected the original draft, I had to renegotiate with all political parties and revamp it,” he said.

Wan Junaidi said the loopholes in the law were explained to the cabinet in April 2022.

“I myself was involved in many engagement sessions to discuss this bill with MPs from each party, but at that time, the Bersatu whip did not support the original draft.

“With the cabinet still wanting approval for the anti-hopping law to be achieved by consensus, I had no other choice. I had to agree when a new draft of the bill prepared by the attorney-general to replace my original draft was finally presented to the Dewan Rakyat,” he explained.

Since October, four Bersatu MPs have pledged support for Anwar in exchange for gaining access to RM3 million in government funding annually.

However, their loyalty has not yet been tested as bloc voting in the Parliament has not been conducted.

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