Frog Defends Party Hopping

Another Malaysian politician has come out to defend party-hopping. 

FMT reported on Wednesday that Larut MP Hamzah Zainudin considers party-hopping acceptable because it is made in the interest of the people. 

This was based on a Sinar Harian news write-up where he was quoted to have said that party-hopping is for the public’s benefit, not the individual and that party-hopping is the norm.

And he even equated Mahathir Mohamad leaving UMNO and Bersatu with party-hopping. 

FYI, Hamzah is Bersatu secretary-general and is currently serving as Minister of Home Affairs. 

His party have not made clear what is their official stance on the anti-party hopping issue – but it is well-known that many of their MPs are disinclined to support the anti-party hopping bill. 

After all, 26 federal lawmakers from Bersatu (and 11 PKR MPs) hopped over to the other side to team up with PAS and Barisan Nasional to form the Perikatan Nasional coalition – leading to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in February 2020.