WITH many questioning the wide scope of the proposed constitutional amendment to prevent anti-hopping, a UMNO MP has joined the foray to cast aspersion on it as well.
Pengerang MP, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said claimed that if the proposed amendment is passed in its current form, it could lead to constitutional crisis in the future.
“Amending Article 10 of the Federal Constitution, without strictly defined Anti Hopping laws would be too wide and dangerous.
“Also, such laws could later be challenged on Constitutional grounds. Why not also amend Art 48(6) on Monday to avoid potential Constitutional crisis in future?” she queried.
Apart from Azalina, two PKR MPs yesterday, Wong Chen and Nurul Izzah Anwar also voiced their reservations over the proposed amendment as the scope was too wide.
The proposed constitutional amendment would insert a clause in Article 10 which would allow federal legislations to restrict party membership of MPs and state assemblypersons.
The proposed clause reads: “3A) Notwithstanding paragraph (c) of Clause (2) and Clause (3), restrictions on the right to form associations conferred by paragraph (c) of Clause (1) relating to membership in a political party of members of the House of Representatives and members of the State Legislative Assembly may also be imposed by federal law.”
Yesterday, Wong Chen urged the Government to “narrow” the constitutional amendment’s scope to only cover anti-hopping.
“To be precise, the draft amendment may allow federal laws to supersede the Federal Constitution as the new clause will allow federal laws to be enacted to restrict the membership in a political party of MPs and state assembly members,” he was reported as saying.
The proposed amendment is scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Dewan Rakyat in a special sitting.– April 10, 2022.
