BUTTERWORTH, 28 Jan 2009: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng wants the government to allow elected representatives who want to switch parties to be given a chance to recontest their seats if the proposed anti-party hopping law is implemented.
Lim, who is also Penang Chief Minister, said the condition was aimed at enabling the elected representative who defected to keep the post but on a new party ticket.
“If they (Barisan Nasional) dare to formulate an anti-party hopping law, they must set that condition. No need (for the elected representatives who defected) to wait for five years to stand for re-election.
“An elected representative who party hops must let go all his posts in his old party and a by-election held after that,” he told reporters at a Chinese New Year open house at Dewan Datuk Ahmad Badawi, here, today.
He was commenting on the proposal by several Umno leaders for the introduction of an anti-party hopping law to ensure a more moral political practice in Malaysia.
Lim also criticised the stand of BN leaders in regarding its elected representatives who crossed over to Pakatan Rakyat (PR) as unprincipled individuals.
“To them, it’s okay for PR elected reps to join BN but if it’s the other way round, they are labelled unprincipled. If they (BN) are really principled, why don’t they introduce an anti-party hopping law to prevent defections?” he said. — Bernama
Eric says
Good on LGE.
How about a certain PM-DPM transition plan? Whereby the voters sent a simple BN majority to the Dewan Rakyat on a platform with AAB as a PM. However, after one year, AAB “transfers” the premiership to the DPM.
Now unless I am mistaken, only the Agong can appoint the PM and there is no constitutional provision for the DPM to take over as PM in case the latter resigns. Actually, there is no mention of DPM at all in the constitution. My understanding is, by extension, the aspiring PM should call for general elections to ensure voters do vote him in.
I understand the honourable principle LGE is asserting (alongside Karpal) and respect it. However, assuming Najib becomes PM this March, should not we spend at least the same amount of time asking for Najib to call for a general election as we should for any Adun/MP switching over to whatever side?