Guan Eng: Let those who defect resign and re-contest the same seat

The current law - laid out during ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad’s time - prohibits an elected rep to stand for election for five years if he resigns his seat

By SK English Team

Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has called for new law to enable elected representatives who resign their seats to re-contest the same seat in a by-election.

“Let the people decide,” Guan Eng told reporters. “If the Barisan Nasional is serious and advocates principles and ethics, it should introduce an anti-hopping law to allow those who defect to another party to resign and re-contest the same seat.”

Guan Eng suggested a provision in the federal constitution for an anti-hopping law.

He was responding to the recent decision by Bota state assemblyman Nasarudin Hashim to resign from Umno and join Pakatan Rakyat partner, KeADILan.

Baggage from the Mahathir era

Currently, under Article 48(6) of the constitution, a person who resigns his membership in the house of representatives shall, for a period of five years beginning with the date on which his resignation takes effect, be disqualified from being a member of the said house.

This law came into effect during the days of ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad, who had then helped engineer the ousting of the Sabah state government, led by then-BN rival Joseph Pairin Kitingan, through the use of defections into the BN fold.

Nasarudin has said he does plan to vacate his seat, despite calls from several former colleague including Foreign Minister Rais Yatim, to resign.

“Many of them (Bota constituents) agree with my decision,” he told reporters.

Perak Chief Minister Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin confirmed the state government would soon hold a function at the Bota stadium to allow the constituents there to meet and seek clarification from Pakatan Rakyat leaders, including Nasarudin, on the switch.

“Nasarudin does not need to resign because the regulations do not require it. He will just remain as the Bota assemblyman,” said Nizar. “If he resigns, he faces the risk of not being able to contest for the next five years.”

Sumber : Suara Keadilan