Malaysia bans party-hopping MPs from toppling government

Bloomberg

Malaysia’s parliament on Thursday passed a bipartisan bill to curb defections by lawmakers, a major cause of political instability and a sign that elections may be round the corner.
The ban on party-hopping was approved with a more than two-thirds majority and is part of a series of reforms introduced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri in September aimed at strengthening the administration of government.
The bill, seen as a prelude to general elections that are widely expected to be held before the September 2023 deadline, aims to end a culture of political horse trading among lawmakers. Malaysia has seen three governments in over two years, triggered mostly by lawmakers switching parties and allegiances.
Ismail tabled the bill on Wednesday after a bipartisan committee oversaw amendments to the constitution to facilitate the proposed law. Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said on Thursday that 209 lawmakers supported the bill while another 11 lawmakers were not present. No law maker voted against.
“Party hopping, defection or floor crossing, has caused a lot of debate among the general public,” Ismail told parliament. “This is because it involves the mandate or trust of the people who elect their representatives in parliament.”