Politicians must stay true to their party

LIKE most Malaysians, I stayed up into the wee hours of Thursday for the announcement of the GE14 results. I was tired from lack of sleep but I stayed awake nonetheless.

I am now becoming sick of the intense on-going political horse-trading post-GE. In view of this unhealthy political development, the new government should not condone the katak culture in our political scene. Any defecting elected MPs should be disqualified immediately and be barred from standing for any elections in future.

While Malaysia has proven to the world that change of government can be achieved in a peaceful manner, we should not allow the acts of several katak politicians to tarnish our nation’s reputation for the following reasons;

1. Pakatan Harapan, as the newly-minted government, should not set any precedent of horse-trading by katak politicians;

2. Newly-elected MPs were voted based on their party’s manifesto and/or individual promises made during the campaign period. All elected MPs should be held accountable for this;

3. Any defecting MPs need time to digest the manifesto of the party he/she is joining and hence would be unable to execute them;

4. Admittedly, any MP who defects is doing it for his/her own benefits, gains and reward, monetary or otherwise. All MPs should put the rakyat and their political party’s interest above oneself;

5. The rakyat want their MPs to be steadfast in their principles. I am sure defecting MPs will be deemed to have no principles; and

6. It is unfair to disappoint and upset the rakyat who put their faith and destiny in these politicians and subsequently be betrayed. STAMINA NEOH Petaling Jaya