THE anti-hopping law should be enacted before the 15th General Election, says Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said if this was not done before the next general election, it would be meaningless as the Government may be formed after the election and be toppled by Dewan Rakyat members who jump parties like what happened in the Sheraton Move.
“In Penang, we are willing to streamlime our amendments according to the federal Act. If it is done, the State Assembly can do the necessary amendments to what we have enacted way back in 2012 – 10 years ago.
“That will happen but before that, it must happen at the federal level first,” Chow said in reply to a reporter’s question on Penang’s stance as Parliament will table a Bill on Monday to amend the Federal Constitution to prevent Dewan Rakyat members from switching sides.
He said this at a press conference after launching the ‘Girls in Engineering and Technology’ programme hosted by Penang Science Cluster at Wisma Yeap Chor Ee in George Town today.
In order to make way for the enactment of the anti-party hopping law, amendments to the Federal Constitution are required particularly by removing the disqualification provision in Article 48 (6).
Article 48 (6) provides that a ‘person who resigns his membership of the House of Representatives shall, for a period of five years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the House of Representatives.’
Chow added that another issue would be the interpretation of anti-hopping and that is where problems lie with the national scheme of things. They are unable on how to define anti-hopping.
He recalled that in the case of Penang, the Bersatu representatives did not hop away from Bersatu but they are still in Bersatu.
“So, how do we interpret such circumstances?
“Hopefully for the state, I think that enactment will address all these concerns. But we want to do it before the next general meeting.”
Chow said states like Sabah, Kelantan and Penang have already their own anti-hopping law.
The case filed by four Bersatu assemblymen in Penang, he said, will also be heard on Monday. They are asking the court to prohibit the state from declaring their seats vacant.
“I suppose it is just the beginning. Don’t expect a decision because the process has just started. What happens in Parliament will have a bearing on the (Penang) court case.”
Chow added that although the state had fixed its coming State Assembly at the end of May, it could decide to convene another session in June or July, as long as it is done before the election.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud
Video by Law Suun Ting