Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili added that the enactment does not apply to the state legislative assemblies in Sabah and Sarawak, therefore it is important for both states to table the law at their respective state levels. – Bernama photo
KUALA LUMPUR (July 28): Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has urged the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led government to also quickly pass the anti-hopping law in the state level.
“This needs to be done within the next two months, and our (PBS) seven YBs (Yang Berhormats) are ready to lead in the tabling of the anti-hopping law enactment at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting,” said party president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili on Thursday.
Speaking following the passing of the much anticipated anti-hopping law at the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Thursday, Ongkili added that the enactment does not apply to the state legislative assemblies in Sabah and Sarawak, therefore it is important for both states to table the law at their respective state levels.
“A special sitting must be called to pass this law at the state levels in the next 60 days, and to us in PBS, after 37 years, this is truly a dream come true and a recognition to the party’s struggle to ensure political stability, not just in the state, but the country, as a whole,” he said.
Being among the first pioneers in anti-hopping law, Ongkili said PBS had always opposed such behaviour, describing the frog-leaping tradition as sinful and unprincipled politics.
“To us, it is evil, unfair, devoid of good ethics and manners.
“PBS tried to put a stop to party hopping by passing a law in the state legislature in 1988 to prevent assemblymen from defecting but it was declared null and void by the High Court. We were lonely in this struggle, but now all our hard work paid off,” the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) said.
In Sabah, Ongkili said the first known “frog” was the late Datuk Payar Juman who won the Kiulu seat on an UPKO ticket during the state’s first direct election in 1967. Although his defection to USNO brought the downfall of UPKO, but personally, he gained the opportunity to be appointed as a minister by the then Chief Minister, the late Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun.
“After that, the Sabah politics was corrupted by the leap-frogging tradition, causing political instability.
“And UPKO president Datuk Madius Tangau repeated history when he abandoned Barisan Nasional to form a government with Parti Warisan in 2018, despite signing a memorandum with PBS and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) at the Presidential Council that same year. That is a classic example of political betrayal of comrades in pursuit of political posts and personal benefits,” he said.
Moving forward, Ongkili believes that with the passing of the anti-hopping law, which is expected to be gazetted in September this year, political stability will be restored and create more politicians with principles and integrity.