No need for special sitting to table anti-party hopping bill, says law minister

There is no need for the government to convene a special sitting of Parliament to table and debate the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2022 regarding the prohibition on members of the Dewan Rakyat from switching parties, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The matter was decided by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the head of the House, he said.

He said the the bill would be tabled and debated at the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament starting July 18.

Wan Junaidi said several factors had been considered during the discussion with Ismail.

“Overall, the government will have to bear an estimated cost of RM1,077,600, not including operational costs, if a special sitting for both the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara is held,” he said in a statement today.

Apart from that, Wan Junaidi said many MPs would be on official overseas trips until mid-July including the finance and economic select committee and the security select committee.

The tabling of the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2022 according to the calendar of the upcoming Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Negara meetings will give sufficient time for the bill to be studied by the MPs before it is debated, he added.

“This cannot be done if a special sitting is held. If a special sitting is held, it can only be held in mid-July, given the absence of many MPs until then,” he said.