KUALA LUMPUR: Former Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (pix) (BN-Pengerang) urged the government to fast track her recall election bill.
She said voters should determine whether the “frog” (an MP who changes party) should be replaced by giving the power to the rakyat to decide.
Azalina said the act is important and should be done as soon as possible to curb the act of party hopping.
She then gave an example that in Islam, when a wife is divorced, there must be a three-month “iddah” period (not able to marry another) after the divorce.
“She needs to relax and cool off.. think about wanting to divorce or not wanting to divorce, wanting to continue or not wanting to continue,“ she said.
Therefore she said it is pertinent for the Private Member’s Bill to provide recall elections for political defectors be hastened.
“It should be done immediately because if MPs want to jump , they will jump at any time, day or night,“ she said.
“I ask for the help of the Members of Parliament and the Law Minister (Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Junaidu Tuanku Jaafar) to fast track my bill to be debated,“ she said.
She pointed out that combining the Anti -Party Jumping and Dismissal of MPs Act 2021 will create a more credible Parliament.
Azalina ended her speech with a poem, hinting sarcastically at political defectors who jump to another party:
Lompat si katak lompat,
Lompat di dalam perigi
Lompat jangan tak lompat
Nanti tak sempat menjadi.
