More opposition MPs expected to jump ship, say sources

KUALA LUMPUR: More opposition members of parliament (MPs) are expected to exit their parties to support the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.

Two PKR MPs are supposedly jumping ship soon, while at least four Parti Warisan Sabah lawmakers are negotiating with PN to join the ruling coalition.

Sources within Pakatan Harapan (PH) revealed that the two PKR MPs are known supporters of former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, who is PN information chief.

“Everyone knows these two (MPs) are Azmin’s people. They are waiting for the right time to jump. Let’s see if Azmin can help these two get seats in the 15th General Election (GE15).”

The New Sunday Times learnt that the two are non-Malay MPs from PKR — one from the peninsula and the other from a Borneo state.

Attempts to reach them have been unsuccessful.

A source from PN Sabah said between four and six Warisan MPs were keen to join the PN fold but are facing “hiccups”.

“It is taking longer than we expected, but we are fairly confident that all issues will be ironed out soon.”

Political analysts see partyhopping as an issue that cannot be resolved as long as there is no anti-hopping law.

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian said: “In Malaysian politics, numbers matter. We have seen many MPs jumping here and there since 2020 and although they were heavily criticised in the beginning, nothing much has happened to them now.

“Firstly, we don’t have an antihopping act and secondly, it has always been up to the MPs to decide whether to stay or leave their respective parties because what is important is their political career.

“In our political context, it is not against the law, which is why this is the way things are now.”

Universiti Malaya’s Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said such a move had been expected ever since Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said Parliament could convene during the Emergency.