As the Sabah election draws closer, a top lawmaker in the state’s split allegiance between BN and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) raises major questions about the efficacy of the country’s anti-hopping law.

Deputy Chief Minister III Shahelmey Yahaya had won both the Putatan parliamentary seat and the Tanjung Keramat state seat on a BN ticket.

However, he is suspended from Umno for choosing to side with Chief Minister Hajiji Noor instead of Sabah BN chief Bung Moktar Radin in a power struggle in early 2023.