JOHOR BARU, Sept 22 — Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) stood by its commitment to the anti-party hopping enactment that will be tabled, said Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad.

The Johor BN chief said Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) proposal for a committee on the enactment was unnecessary when the federal law underpinning it has already been approved by both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara.

He said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar also consulted all parties including those in PH before the law was tabled in Parliament.

"For Johor BN, we even included the anti-party hopping law as part of our manifesto during the Johor state election in March to show that we are supporting the enactment and will implement in the state,” said Hasni to reporters during a press conference at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel here today.

The Benut assemblyman was responding to critics of the BN decision to reject the committee, and said it was unfair to blame the Johor government if the PH assemblymen had trouble understanding the law.

The former Johor MB said the PH state leaders could refer to their federal counterparts who were involved in approving the law in Parliament.

Hasni, who is also the Johor Umno chief, insisted that the Johor enactment would mirror the federal anti-hopping law.

Earlier, Johor Opposition leader Liew Chin Tong expressed frustration at the rejection of the committee proposed in Skudai assemblyman Marina Ibrahim’s motion during the assembly sitting today.

The constitutional amendment to prohibit the political defection of elected representatives was gazetted on September 6, but will not be enforced until a date to be announced by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The federal gazette also said the portion of the law affecting assemblymen could be introduced in any state upon the agreement of its Ruler or Governor and the Agong.

Penang enacted an anti-party hopping law in 2012 while Sabah and Selangor have confirmed they will enact their own this year to be in line with federal law.