by FAYYADH JAAFAR / pic source: Ahmad Maslan FB

PONTIAN MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan (picture) is proposing a ban on MPs who defect from their party and trigger a by-election from contesting.

He said the ban should be part of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No 3) 2022, which was tabled by Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Dewan Rakyat today.

“I suggested that those who jumped should not be allowed to contest in the by-election but it seems that the proposed amendment will allow them to do so.

“In my view, that is not appropriate because we need to punish party hoppers,” he said.

Ahmad also suggested that MPs who jump parties must return campaign money to their respective parties.

The Umno secretary general added that the members of the National Assembly elected by the party should also be bound by the bill.

Additionally, he touched on the issue of party hopping between component parties of a coalition.

“For example, an MP from the Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress defects to Umno, would he be considered a party hopper?

“There would be two opinions on this matter, where some would say that he hopped to another party, while others would argue that he did not since he is still in the same coalition,” Ahmad said.

Meanwhile, on the Sheraton Move that led to the downfall of the Pakatan Harapan government, Ahmad said it happened because there was no PM at the time.

“Langkawi MP Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had resigned. Therefore, it was not a form of betrayal,” he said.

Jerlun MP Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir responded by saying that the chronology of events was important.

“Which one happened first, the Sheraton Move or Dr Mahathir’s resignation?” he asked.