21 Aug 2020

MALAYSIA BADLY NEEDS ANTI-HOPPING LAW

 20TH August 2020.


PRESS STATEMENT BY:-
TAN SRI DATUK ROBERT PHANG MIOW SIN.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
CHAIRMAN – SOCIAL CARE FOUNDATION


If there is one law that the Malaysian Parliament badly needs to pass at the earliest possible opportunity, it's the Anti-Hopping law.


This piece of legislation that outlaws once and for all, our Yang Berhormat or elected representatives at the Dewan Rakyat and State Legislative Assemblies from jumping from one party to another that results in a change of government in total betrayal of the people's mandate made via general or state elections.


We have seen two glaring examples of this during this current year when the Pakatan Harapan coalition that was elected with a very clear majority just over two years ago was toppled in this unceremonious manner.  This was followed by the recent dissolution of the Sabah State Legislative Assembly thus paving the way for another state election now fixed for Sept. 26.


Our elected representatives are called The Honourables or Yang Berhormat and the Rakyat who elected them expect nothing short of them to honour their trust and the pledge they took upon being elected.  But just look at the political turmoils that ensued and the two political coups mentioned above could not come at a worse time for the nation when our focus and resources were devoted to containing the Covid-19 pandemic.


Needless to say, the dire economic and financial ramifications of the pandemic where cross-sections the rakyat were faced with losing their jobs and businesses as well as hardly able to put food on the table.  And yet these political frogs as they are called didn't give a damn and as a result, the electorate in Sabah are forced to go to the polls once again while the Federal government now only has a wafer-thin majority in Parliament, giving rise to speculations of a snap general election.


Elections are very expensive affairs, particularly so when the nation like the rest of the social is going through strict health protocols due to the pandemic, such as physical distancing and wearing of face masks.  Not to mention large crowds that could spark new waves of infection.

The coming Sabah election is expected to cost RM165 million while the snap GE15 if held, is estimated at RM1.2 billion.  The nation could hardly afford to spend on these wasteful expenditures that would have been totally unnecessary and avoidable had the people's mandate not been overturned by these politicians.


So I would urge that this Anti-Hopping law be put in place with utmost urgency and top priority so as not to render elections meaningless and for Malaysia not to be a laughing stock.


“HUMBLENESS IS A GOOD VIRTUE, ARROGANCE SHALL FALL AND THE MEEK WILL RULE THE WORLD”.

 

Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang Miow Sin.
Justice of the Peace.
Chairman Social Care Foundation,
Unit B-6-1, Level 6, Megan Avenue II,
No: 12, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng,
50450 KUALA LUMPUR
Tel: 03-21668336
Fax; 03-21669336
Mobile Phone: 012-2163006      

No comments: