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KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The problem of elected representatives defecting would not have happened if political parties rejected those who did so, Parti Amanah Negara communications director Khalid Samad claimed today.
Khalid used the example of the current Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration to make his point, arguing that lawmakers would not have been able to defect from Pakatan Harapan if parties like Umno and PAS did not accept them.
“How to prevent party-hopping, I think the voters must teach the candidates a lesson, make sure none of those who hop this time around will win any of the seats in coming elections.
“Number two, the other parties must also have the moral strength to reject any form of cooperation with the party-hoppers.
“If Muhyiddin and Azmin left Pakatan Harapan but if Umno, PAS and the rest had respected the public’s mandate, the people’s mandate, they wouldn’t have formed a government with the people who hopped, and if nobody is willing to cooperate with them in order to form a new government, they wouldn’t have hopped. But if you are willing to do that, of course you will allow for that,” he said while speaking this morning at the Malaysia Democracy Forum, referring to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Khalid said that anti-hopping laws would be very relevant for Malaysia, as he backed the idea of having re-elections when lawmakers choose to leave the political parties that they were elected under during elections.
Khalid said re-elections could allow those who leave their political parties due to principles to present their case to voters, adding that holding fresh elections “would have been a deterrent for those who jump for their own personal benefit”.
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from Malay Mail - Malaysia
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