Table Anti-Party Hopping Bill immediately, says BN comms director

SHAH ALAM - BN remains steadfast in supporting the Anti-party Hopping Bill to be implemented immediately.

BN Communications Director Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said this is because the Bill would protect the rights of the people.

"Umno's stance is clear. The Anti-Party Hopping Bill must be expedited because Umno wants to defend the rights of the people.

“When the people elect their representatives through elections, the elected representatives must protect the trust of the people and the party.

"They cannot simply leave the party because it is the people and their respective party that caused them to win in the election," he said on a social media post today.

Shamsul, who is also a member of the Umno supreme council, said if elected representatives switch sides, then the people and their former party have the right to punish them.

“The mandate must be handed back to the party and the people.

"Because it is the people and the party that made them into elected representatives. So do not delay to table the Anti-Party Hopping Bill," he said.

Recently, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar had announced that the Bill would be deferred since the Cabinet had not agreed to table it on April 11.

According to reports, the government sought to work out details such as the definition of party hopping and amending the Federal Constitution before introducing the law.