Mohd Zaid: High time for 'anti-hopping' law

KOTA BARU, Sat: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim said today he would propose to the Cabinet the formulation of an anti-hopping law to put a stop to party-hopping by politicians.

He said the act of switching political parties by politicians after winning the general election on their former parties’ tickets was immoral.
“We cannot allow people who contested on a particular party’s ticket, make all kinds of promises to convince the people and after winning, they switched over to another party.
“To me, these people have no integrity and I hope the government will formulate a special law. It’s high time that we have the 'Anti-Hopping Law' to stop such acts,” he told reporters at a press conference at his residence, here.
He said although switching political party was not against the federal constitution, it had negative impact on the country’s administration.
Mohd Zaid said he would propose that the matter be discussed at the Cabinet, adding that such a law had already been adopted in several countries including India.
He believed the formulation of the proposed law would be supported by the opposition too.
“The proposed law will benefit all parties. It’s an issue that is good for national stability, that respects the aspiration of the people, why won’t the opposition support it?” he said.
“I’m making the proposal to help overcome the crisis in the era of the new democracy in the country so that it will be more orderly.
“We have to accept the fact that after this, there probably will not be any more parties winning more than 200 seats (in Parliament), we have to learn to live together, the Barisan Nasional (BN), PAS and PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat),” he said.
On his new job as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, the former Kota Baru member of parliament said he would discharge his responsibility in the best manner possible to ensure that the country’s legal system was cleaner and that the judiciary would be more transparent.
“Many people question whether we are serious in restoring the image of our judiciary. I’m serious about bringing change.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also serious about making the changes. I would not have accepted the post if I was not convinced that the Prime Minister is serious on the matter,” he said.
Mohd Zaid, 57, who has a law degree from the University of London and a Barrister-at-Law, Inner Temple, is a senior partner at Zaid & Co, one of the biggest Bumiputera law firm in the country. - BERNAMA

Nik Aziz Supports Anti Hoping Law

Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat is all for an anti-party hopping law to be enacted, describing politicians who engaged in it as “shameless creatures”.

“They (such politicians) are not humans if they can be bought and sold like commodity,” he told reporters after attending a thanksgiving for Senator Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim, who was just appointed as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, at the latter’s residence here today.
He said this when asked to comment on a suggestion by Mohd Zaid that a law be enacted to curb the party-hopping.
“During Pas's previous term in Kelantan, when we just had a single seat majority in the state assembly, several of our assemblyman were offered up to RM7 million each to defect but could not be enticed because they were principled people,” Nik Abdul Aziz added. — BERNAMA

tunku : i support this call by zaid ibrahim and i think every party should agree on it. If the candidates wants to switch side, the candidate should resign as MP or Adun and seek fresh mandate from the public.