Headline Tougher laws for party hopping, not vacating seat MediaTitle Borneo Post (KK) Date 08 Feb 2014 Language English Circulation 88,150 Readership 166,173 Section Home Color Black/white Page No 8 ArticleSize 594 cm² AdValue RM 3,420 PR Value RM 10,260 Tougher laws for party hopping, not vacating seat By Mariah Doksil and Murib Morpi : Leaders any election was insufficient, and 13th General Election and to focus from opposition parties in more severe punishments should on making equitable laws post­ do not agree with the proposal by be introduced to deter similar 13th GE," he said. political analyst Assoc Prof Dr incidents, said Mohd Azizuddin In the case of the Kajang seat, Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani on who is also the dean of the School Siambun said there was no the imposition of stiffer penalties of International Studies at betrayal of trust but rather, a re­ on those elected representatives Universiti Utara . affirmation of a better leadership who vacated their seats without a Commenting on the Kajang from a more experienced valid reason. issue, Bumburing added his (Lee) candidate. Mohd Azizuddi has suggested objective may be for the greater "If an elected representative that any elected representative good of the state of Selangor. decides to leave the party on who vacates his or her seat without "The end result could only be which he contested and won, then a valid reason should be fined a properly assessed after the by­ he automatically vacates the seat minimum of RM1 million, bear election," he said. but he should still be allowed to the cost of holding a by­election Meanwhile, Kepayan contest so that the people can and banned from holding public assemblyman Dr. Edwin Bos,i of decide. office for life"! "The 13th General Elections are DAP said the current five­year Tamparuli assemblyman suspension from contesting in well and truly over and now we Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing any election is bad enough. should focus on making better of PKR totally disagreed with the "In fact we should allow freedom and Equitable laws," he added. proposal. on this matter, and that he or she Papar MP, Datuk Rosnah Abdul "In a democratic country a can re­contest to prove that he Rashid Shirlin in her short reply citizen is free to contest and free or she is the people's choice after regarding the issue said, "I totally to vacate a seat. What law has jumping to another party. agree (with the suggestion). It is he or she broken when he or she "The Election Commission (EC) a clear violation and misuse of resigns? should be focusing on an anti­ public funds." "The question of a 'valid reason' hop law or make it mandatory The proposal to introduce is very subjective in this matter. I to have a by­election when one tough laws for keeping believe no elected representative resigns from a party that gave elected representatives in will simply resign if he or she does him victory," he said. check should include stiff not have a reason which he or she Another opposition leader, punishment for assemblyman believes to be valid. Terrence Siambun believed that and parliamentarian^]™ jump "The stake on a resignation is what was more important is for parties after winning an election, very high for a politician and that existing laws to be amended such said 's is he or she will have almost zero that whenever an assemblyman (DAP) assemblyman for Likas, chance to be elected in the future," or member of parliament switches Junz Wong. said Bumburing. V to a different party, the seat which He said such laws must not be Mohd Azizuddin made the he or she represented should focused only on representatives suggestion when he was asked to automatically become vacant. who abandoned their constituency comment on the recent resignation However, Siambun, who is and resigned from their posts of Kajang State Assemblyman Lee Moyog assemblyman cum PKR without acceptable reason but Chin Cheh, from PKR, on Jan 27, Sabah Vice Chief, said the same also those who cheated {he voters forcing a by­election for the seat. person should still be allowed to by leaving the political party they He said state and federal laws contest in an election. have voted for. must be amended to impose stiffer "A betrayal of trust is when the "The two are the same thing, penalties in order to prevent any elected candidate crosses over to they both mean betraying the abuse of the democratic process another party after winning the trust and mandate given by the and wastage of taxpayers' seat based on the party which he people, who made their choices money. or she represented prior. not just based on the candidate The current five­year "The focus now is to put behind but also the party under which the suspension from contesting in whatever happened before the candidate contested," he said. Headline Tougher laws for party hopping, not vacating seat MediaTitle Borneo Post (KK) Date 08 Feb 2014 Language English Circulation 88,150 Readership 166,173 Section Home Color Black/white Page No 8 ArticleSize 594 cm² AdValue RM 3,420 PR Value RM 10,260

Junz proposed that the state and federal laws be amended to impose these penalties in order to prevent any abuse of the democratic process and wastage of taxpayers' money, adding that the current five­year suspension from contesting in any election is insufficient.

Edwin Bosi Terrence ^iambun

Rosnah Shirlin Junz Wong Wilfred Bumburing