THE collapse of the Malacca government shows that there is an urgent need for an anti-party hopping bill to be passed in the next parliamentary meeting, said Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong.

He said without such a bill, an election now will only lead to further party-hopping, if the snap poll did not throw up a clear winner.

“The anti-party hopping bill must be passed in the next parliamentary sitting as agreed in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on transformation and political stability,” he said in a statement today.

“Party hopping creates long-lasting distrust among the people of our political system. It is sending the wrong message to the millions of young voters, who will be voting for the first time in the next election. I believe many Malaysians are sick and tired of political games.”

The MOU was signed by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah chairman Mohamad Sabu, and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Under the agreed deal, the government has promised to deliver three major reforms by the middle of next year, before the next or fifth session of Parliament: the anti-party hopping law, the implementation of Undi18 and automatic voter registration, and the imposition of a 10-year term limit on the prime minister’s tenure.

Four Malacca assemblymen announced on Monday that they had lost confidence in Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali and withdrew support for him.

The four are former chief minister Idris Haron (Sg Udang), Nor Azman Hassan (Pantai Kundor), Noor Effandi Ahmad (Telok Mas) and Norhizam Hassan Baktee (Pengkalan Batu).

The move means Sulaiman is now backed by 12 assemblymen (one from Bersatu, the rest from Barisan Nasional), while there are 15 opposition reps (11 from Pakatan Harapan, two from BN, one from Bersatu and one independent). The legislative assembly has 28 seats.

Malacca Governor Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam dissolved the state assembly, following a request by Sulaiman.

State elections must now be held in the next 60 days.

Khoo said he will be distancing himself from the four rebels and will not support any of them should one decide to run for chief minister, and Khoo urged his colleagues and party leaders to do the same.

“I wish to state that I am against any form of party hopping, whether directly or indirectly, by any elected representative for his or her own political interest.

“Party hopping must never be condoned or accepted in any way.” – October 6, 2021.