Anti-hopping bill held up by ‘political frogs’ in Cabinet, says Shahrir
Shahrir Samad says it is hard to agree on party-hopping because while some consider it a betrayal, others defend it as ‘an act of faith’. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Umno veteran Shahrir Samad says the government is having a tough time tabling the anti-hopping bill as there are Cabinet members who are “political frogs” themselves.
Noting how 39 MPs switched political allegiance after the 14th general election in May 2018, Shahrir claimed the parliamentarians did so to avoid being charged in court or to get better positions.
In a Facebook post, he gave Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed as examples of two elected representatives who were not charged with receiving 1MDB-linked funds from former prime minister Najib Razak after moving from Umno to Bersatu.
“Larut MP Hamzah Zainudin and Mersing MP Abdul Latiff Ahmad were named ministers after making similar moves.
“It’s sustenance. Whether it is the right thing to do, that’s a different question,” said Shahrir, who served eight terms as Johor Bahru MP and was a former domestic trade and consumer affairs minister.
“Right now, it’s hard to agree on party-hopping. Their principles are different. Some consider it a betrayal, some defend it as an act of faith.”
This comes as law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yesterday said the tabling of the anti-hopping bill, which was scheduled to take place on Monday, has been deferred again as the Cabinet had not agreed to table the bill.
However, Wan Junaidi has said the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on Monday will go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the tabling of the anti-hopping bill.
The bill was initially set to be tabled on March 24, the final day of the first meeting of the new Dewan Rakyat session this year.
PETALING JAYA: Umno veteran Shahrir Samad says the government is having a tough time tabling the anti-hopping bill as there are Cabinet members who are “political frogs” themselves.
Noting how 39 MPs switched political allegiance after the 14th general election in May 2018, Shahrir claimed the parliamentarians did so to avoid being charged in court or to get better positions.
In a Facebook post, he gave Masjid Tanah MP Mas Ermieyati Samsudin and Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed as examples of two elected representatives who were not charged with receiving 1MDB-linked funds from former prime minister Najib Razak after moving from Umno to Bersatu.
“Larut MP Hamzah Zainudin and Mersing MP Abdul Latiff Ahmad were named ministers after making similar moves.
“It’s sustenance. Whether it is the right thing to do, that’s a different question,” said Shahrir, who served eight terms as Johor Bahru MP and was a former domestic trade and consumer affairs minister.
“Right now, it’s hard to agree on party-hopping. Their principles are different. Some consider it a betrayal, some defend it as an act of faith.”
This comes as law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar yesterday said the tabling of the anti-hopping bill, which was scheduled to take place on Monday, has been deferred again as the Cabinet had not agreed to table the bill.
However, Wan Junaidi has said the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on Monday will go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the tabling of the anti-hopping bill.
The bill was initially set to be tabled on March 24, the final day of the first meeting of the new Dewan Rakyat session this year.
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