On 1 April 2022, we reported in ‘
The Road (Slightly) Ahead: Four Bills To Look Forward To’ that the much anticipated anti-party hopping law that seeks to discourage Members of Parliament from defecting from a political party after being elected would be tabled at a special sitting of the Dewan Rakyat to be held on 11 April 2022.
1
On 6 April 2022, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law), Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar announced that ‘
The Cabinet has not agreed to the tabling of the proposed anti-hopping Bill at the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on Monday (April 11).’ The Minister added that ‘
The Bill will be sent back for more study to be done on the definition of “party-hopping”’.
2
Earlier today, it was reported that Wan Junaidi had announced that ‘
There will be a new date for another special parliamentary sitting to table, debate and approve the proposed anti-party hopping Bill’ and that ‘
Both sides have agreed to a new date to be announced by the Prime Minister.’
3
Nevertheless, the special sitting of Parliament on 11 and 12 April 2022 will proceed to consider the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022 that will facilitate the passing of the anti-hopping Bill later.
4
Update by Kok Chee Kheong (Partner) of the Corporate Practice of Skrine.