PM Anwar Says Gov't Ready To Discuss Plugging Holes In Anti-Party Hopping Law

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the ruling coalition is ready to work with the opposition to amend the so-called anti-party hopping law of 2022 to close loopholes that allow lawmakers to keep their parliamentary seats after changing parties.

• The law was adopted by the Dewan Rakyat after a unanimous vote and was intended to prevent parliamentarians from changing their political affiliations - a practice which played a significant role in triggering Malaysia's political crisis between 2020 - 2022.
• According to the law, a by-election is triggered if a lawmaker changes party during parliamentary term, or if an MP elected as an independent candidate formally joins a party. En bloc defections and unilateral expulsions do not trigger by-elections.
• The law was put to the test as six MPs were expelled from the main opposition Bersatu party for supporting PM Anwar, while Speaker Johari Abdul refused to vacate their seats as they have not joined any other parties.
• The situation demonstrates that the the anti-party hopping legislation has limited effectiveness, as it is enough for rebel MPs to wait until expulsion from their party rather than quit voluntarily in order to avoid losing parliamentary seats.
• Should Malaysian parties decide to amend the legislation, its shape could have significant consequences for the local political scene, given the role that party hopping played in the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020.