KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The government today tabled a proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution to prohibit members of the Dewan Rakyat from changing political parties with the aim of ensuring political stability and preventing the country from facing a continuous political crisis.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob when tabling the Constitution (Amendment) Bill (No.3) 2022 at the Dewan Rakyat today said the proposed amendment is also aimed at giving a clear message to all members of the Dewan Rakyat to uphold and stick to the principles of the party that they represent.
He said the historic constitutional amendment was made to protect the mandate given by the people during the general election and the trust placed on the members of the Dewan Rakyat.
“Apart from that, I am confident that the bill is also capable of stopping any elected representative from changing parties without any valid or reasonable excuse, hence ensuring political stability in the country for the long run,” he said.
The prime minister said the government viewed seriously the action of changing parties, defections, party-jumping or floor-crossing, which caused much debate and polemics among the general public because it involved the mandate and trust of the people who elected their representatives to be in the Dewan Rakyat.
