No loopholes in anti-hop law, says Azalina
KOTA KINABALU: There are no loopholes in the anti-hop law, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
She recalled that the anti-hop law was enacted by the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, and she wondered why it is voicing out on the matter now when it should have properly scrutinized the law at the time.
“Is the government’s job to close loopholes? Why push it to the government? Our job is to make sure that we recognise the anti-hop law, which is that the seat belongs to the party, the people, not the individual Member of Parliament (MP).
“To give support is not the same as moving the seat. The anti-hop law is about leaping, jumping, hopping to another party - so you should ask them instead (PN). This government is about implementing the law.
“Whenever you talk about the anti-hop law, you talk about power. The people are tired of the obvious power struggle, and they want (political) stability so that the government can focus on economic development,” she told reporters after launching the
“Justice on Wheels” programme at Kampung Madsiang here on Thursday.
PN, led by its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had reportedly voiced out dissatisfaction on the anti-hop law which was tabled in Sabah on May 25 last year, claiming it is not without flaws.
Muhyiddin, among other reasons, had cited the case of four Sabah MPs who quit Bersatu as well as the four other opposition MPs who had pledged support for the Unity Government.