File picture of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob speaking to Opposition leaders Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng and Mohamed Sabu in Parliament, December 20, 2021. — Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (March 1): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has given assurance that an amendment to the Constitution in relation to the Anti-Party Hopping Bill will be tabled next week, Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He confirmed this after meeting the prime minister with fellow coalition colleagues DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu.
“My brothers Mohamad Sabu and Lim Guan Eng and I had a meeting with the prime minister in Parliament.
“We have an assurance from the prime minister that an amendment to the Constitution related to the Anti-Party Hopping Bill will be tabled next week,” said Anwar in a statement here.
Previously, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Jaafar had expressed confidence that the Anti-Party Hopping Bill to be brought to the Dewan Rakyat would be approved, based on the response received through engagement sessions.
He said this was based on the sessions held with stakeholders including MPs, NGOs and party leaders who had received 7,000 responses in feedback for analysis.
This is in line with the recommendation of the prime minister who wanted the Bill to be expedited after the government signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability with PH on September 13 last year.
Anwar also in the statement added that a proposal was also made to request for flexibility to be given to the standard operating procedure (SOP) while facilitating the Johor state polls campaign process.
It was PH’s request made late January to the Election Commission (EC) to allow face-to-face and political gatherings during the upcoming Johor state election.
The PH presidential council said with 80 per cent of the adult population already fully vaccinated and 30 per cent having received their booster dose, the EC needs to come up with new SOPs for the upcoming elections.
“We also reiterate our stance on his explanation in Parliament this morning on the role and duties of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) which should act without being selective,” he said. — Malay Mail