PAKATAN Harapan will not compromise on its demand for the anti-party hopping bill to be tabled in parliament, which is one of the conditions laid down by the opposition in its agreement with the government.

In a statement today, the PH presidential council reiterated its stance that approving the bill is one of the key conditions in the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for transformation and political stability that was inked last year. 

“Therefore, we urge Prime Minister (Ismail Sabri Yakoob) to express his commitment that the bill will be tabled for approval in Parliament in the near future. 

“The date of this second special session (on the bill) needs to be fixed and announced in parliament on April 11,” the statement said. 

PH was responding to Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar’s announcement that the proposed anti-party hopping bill would be deferred.

Wan Junaidi had also expressed his frustration at the cabinet for delaying the bill on which he had worked for eight months. 

“Personally, I’m frustrated at the cabinet’s decision to postpone the tabling of the bill. I have been working on the bill for eight months. 

“However, as a cabinet member, I have to agree with the decision,” he said. 

PH’s statement today came from PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, DAP Secretary-general Anthony Loke and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Wilfred Madius Tangau.

The PH council urged the minister responsible for tabling the constitutional amendment to state clearly in parliament the gist of the bill to be tabled for approved in the second special session.

“PH believes that by passing the constitutional amendment and the bill, the people’s trust in the electoral process and parliamentary democracy will be able to begin to be restored.

“However, the main condition is that the draft of the bill needs to be expedited, and this was emphasised by the MOU steering committee which met yesterday.”

It added that Anwar had yesterday conveyed to the prime minister PH’s stand on the matter. 

Legislation to prevent party hopping as well as to set a term limit for the prime minister is among the terms of the oppositions deal with the government in exchange for its support. 

The agreement was signed on September 14 and focuses on six areas of reform. – April 8, 2022.