Abdullah (centre) witnesses the handing-over of duty from Samat (left) to Samuel.
KUCHING (July 30): The public at large welcome the Anti-Hopping Law (AHL) because they want a healthy democracy and leaders with integrity, said Datuk Abdullah Saidol.
The Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Office (Corporate Affairs, Information and Sarawak Public Communications Unit) said this in a press conference at a hotel here yesterday.
“I am confident that people in general welcome the law prohibiting party hopping as they want a healthy democracy and integrity.”
He explained when an election candidate becomes the people’s representative, the person had campaigned and contested based on his party’s principle and promised to serve the people through his party.
Therefore, it would not be right for him to jump ship just to save his political career because that would not only mean he is a person without principle but also cheating those who had voted for him, the Semop assemblyman said.
People should be suspicious of representatives without principle or integrity as they had compromised people’s mandate and trust, he stressed.
“We are human beings, so why should we behave like frogs that like to change colour to protect itself?”
Party hopping culture will not only mar the values of integrity and democracy but also, contribute to destabilising government administration and national policy as well political instability that drives away foreign investors, he pointed out.
“In a nutshell, we want political stability and a functional and effective administration not contravening the law.”
This scenario, he added, is much needed now when people are facing high cost of living and also when the government is challenged by the urgency to focus on people’s wellbeing and needs.
“I am sure that people are fed up with political dramas and rhetoric centring around power-crazy elected representatives or those who are only positioning themselves for posts,” he said.
The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) supreme council member said in principle, the anti-party hopping concept is applicable at state level or at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN).
He disagreed with the proposal by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs), Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili, that Sarawak should be joining Sabah to quickly amend their respective state constitutions within 60 days because the state does not have provision requiring it to do so within such period.
“If our leaders had finalised their decision on all necessary aspects of the adopted Bill, perhaps we could present this matter at the DUN sitting in November.
Whatever it is, all state rights under the MA63 (Malaysia Agreement of 1963) would still be defended and preserved,” he said.
Nevertheless, the state government would still have to amend its 8th Schedule of the Constitution in regards to essential provisions so that they are uniform with the 8th Schedule of the Federal Constitution, he said.
Meanwhile, Abdullah attended the handing-over of duty from the Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) director Samat Junai to acting director Samuel Simon. The ceremony was held at the same venue as the press conference.
from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/AUQ7OHR
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment