KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — The Dewan Negara has unanimously approved the anti-party hopping Bill.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said 52 senators supported the Bill while seven were absent when the bloc vote took place.

He said that the second reading in the Dewan Rakyat was done by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob which saw 32 senators debate the intricacies of the Bill, including penalties and punishment for either members of Parliament or state assemblymen who switch political allegiance.

"After that, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) concluded the debate and the Third Reading of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No. 3) 2022 Amendment in Committee was passed on the same day after the vote in the Dewan Negara saw 52 members of the Dewan Negara agreeing, while seven members of the Dewan Negara were not present.

"This Bill is expected to be gazetted after receiving the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” Wan Junaidi said in a statement today.

The minister added that the success of the Bill from its drafting to its passing in the Dewan Negara is a step towards the country’s political stability.

Previously, the anti-party hopping Bill was passed in Parliament, with a total of 209 agreeing to it, while 11 MPs were not in attendance.

The anti-party hopping law was mooted by both the government and Opposition MPs after 2020’s "Sheraton Move” that saw several MPs "jump ship” from their respective political parties, which caused the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to fall.

The Bill was part of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the PH coalition.