KOTA KINABALU: An anti-party hopping bill was tabled at the Sabah assembly today.
The Constitution of the State of Sabah (Amendment) Enactment 2023, was tabled by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at the state assembly sitting here.
"This bill aims to amend the Sabah Constitution by including a provision to prevent Sabah assembly legislative members from switching parties.
"It is known that the party hopping among assemblymen always happens and has caused political instability and thus disrupted the development plans in the state.
"The government views party hopping seriously, which has stirred a lot of debates and polemic among the public as it involves the mandate of the people," he said.
The bill sought the amendment of the state Constitution for the deletion of Clause (7) of Article 6 and Clause (5) of Article 17, and the insertion of new Article 17A.
The deletion of Clause (7) of Article 6 is being proposed in the amendment since it is no longer relevant.
As for Clause(5) of Article 17, the deletion will enable any member of the state assembly who resigns to seek re-election at any time after he resigns.
On the insertion of new Article 17A into the state Constitution, he said the provisions states that assemblymen who resigned from their party would cease to become a member of the state assembly.
The words "member of a political party" referred to in the new Article 17A shall include an assemblyman who is not a member of any political party that forms a coalition of political parties but is a member of that coalition.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
from New Straits Times https://ift.tt/RjESOpG
0 Comments