KOTA KINABALU, Oct 15 — The Sabah government is set to continue with plans to table the anti party-hopping law in the State Assembly at its next sitting, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said this may only take place after the upcoming election, expected to be around mid November.
“God willing we will bring it to the State Assembly for tabling.
“Maybe at the end of November, after GE15,” he said.
However, he cautioned that the anti-hopping law can only be passed with the support of the majority of the House, which means the Opposition.
“We need two-thirds of the opposition support to table it and amend the Constitution,” he said.
The Sabah government had previously agreed to table a constitutional amendment Bill to adopt new laws to discourage lawmakers from switching parties at the next state assembly sitting in November.
However, the timing has become more pertinent as an assistant minister in his department recently announced his exit from the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah coalition to join opposition Parti Warisan in order to contest the Kota Marudu seat.
Hajiji said he did not know that the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia state assemblyman Datuk Wetrom Bahanda was going to quit the party ahead of the elections.
There are fears that others may follow suit as dissatisfaction amongst the nine parties in the GRS or Barisan Nasional (BN) seat sharing negotiations becomes apparent. At least three other assemblymen have been rumoured to be quitting, although they have reportedly denied the rumours.
GRS comprises of Sabah Bersatu, Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Parti Solidarity Tanah Airku, Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and the United Sabah National Organisation (Usno).
Its allies BN consists of Umno, Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS), MCA and MIC.
