Wan Junaidi said he has spoken to speak to the prime minister and they have agreed that the Dewan Rakyat will debate the anti-party hopping Bill on April 11. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of law Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said today that the Federal Constitution (Amendments) 2022 Bill on anti-party hopping will be debated on April 11.
This came after DAP’s Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng asked the law minister when a special parliamentary sitting would be held so that the Opposition bloc could prepare accordingly.
“Earlier today, I had the opportunity to speak to the prime minister (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) and we have agreed that we will debate the anti-party hopping Bill on April 11.
“I have been given the assurance that we will debate this matter on April 11 and will let the members of Parliament make their own decision — either to support or not.
“He (the prime minister) even said that we will discuss this, even if it takes up to two days,” he said when addressing Parliament.
Wan Junaidi had promised on several occasions this year that the Bill would be tabled during the current Parliament session, and on February 24, even stated his confidence that it would be passed based on stakeholder engagement sessions.
The Bill has been a major point of interest for the Opposition, especially as Pakatan Harapan signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government tantamount to a parliamentary ceasefire, in return for several concessions, including the passing of a Bill to deter party-hopping.
Yesterday, the Opposition coalition said it was ready to take to the streets if the anti-party hopping Bill was not tabled and passed within this Parliament sitting.
DAP’s new secretary-general Anthony Loke later said that Ismail Sabri had given his commitment to calling for a special parliamentary sitting to table and pass the anti-party hopping Bill.
Loke said the prime minister, in a meeting with several Opposition leaders, said he would call for the special sitting during the month of Ramadan, which begins in early April. – Malay Mail