PEJUANG has expressed concern over the anti-party hopping bill amendments, which seem to punish lawmakers who are sacked from their parties, Mukhriz Mahathir said.

The Pejuang president said it is not fair to members of parliament who are sacked by their party’s leadership as it is not their own doing.

“We have heard from Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar regarding the anti-hopping bill, which will be debated on April 11,” he said at a press conference after attending a resettlement programme in Kuala Terengganu today.

“I am a little worried about one of the recommendations where he said that even those who are fired by their party can be considered as party-hoppers.

“For us, it should be relooked at because it is not the MP who chose to jump but was sacked from the party.”

Mukhriz was referring to Wan Junaidi’s explanation in the Dewan Negara yesterday on three main issues on MPs jumping party, in the administrative draft of the bill.

Wan Junaidi had said when an MP announced his withdrawal from a political party by stating to be an independent or joined another political party is considered to have jumped party.

He also said an MP who is sacked by the party is also considered as having jumped.

Wan Junaidi said the party that sacked the MP would face the risk of losing seats and elections would have to be held again.

Mukhriz said he is worried if Pejuang would receive a reprieve if the bill is passed.

He said the majority of the Pejuang leadership, including himself, was sacked by Bersatu during the party’s crisis two years ago.

“If you want to say jump, then Bersatu almost entirely had left Pakatan Harapan to Perikatan Nasional (PN),” he said.

“Those who remained were Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda president) and Maszlee Malik.

“So why do we have to vacate the seats. So I think this kind of question needs to be discussed and agreed on what the solution is to convince the people that our democratic process can still be trusted.”

The Jerlun MP said it does not mean that Pejuang does not support the bill but the details need to be relooked at.

Mukhriz and Dr Mahathir Mohamad were sacked by Bersatu for sitting in the opposition bloc during the Dewan Rakyat meeting on May 18.

The other three leaders who were also sacked were Syed Saddiq, Maszlee Malik and Amiruddin Hamzah.

Their dismissal came after the Sheraton move, which saw the Pakatan Harapan government topple after Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin publicly withdrew from the coalition. – March 31, 2022.