IPOH: The DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) has urged the government to consider enacting an anti-hopping law to prevent elected representatives from deserting their parties.
Its chairman Wong Koh Who said from an ethical point of view, elected representatives who quit their party must also relinquish their seats and pave the way for a by-election.
“The constitution must be amended so that they are allowed to recontest at their respective areas in a by-election.
“I believe it is a high time for the government to consider implementing an anti-hopping law so that elected representatives who wish to desert their parties... think twice about their actions,” he said.
Wong said this during a press conference after attending the Perak DAPSY Convention, which was officiated by Perak DAP chairman Nga Kor Ming at Tower Regency Hotel here today.
Wong also said the government should enact the anti-hopping law immediately to help improve the country's democratic system.
“As we can see today, our friends from Barisan Nasional have the tendency to join Pakatan Harapan, be it PKR, Amanah, Bersatu or DAP.
"But we must remember and hold on to our principle that we should reject those who want to desert their parties, especially during the post-general election period.
“Before May 9 this year, many of our members were slandered by them and we must not forget about that. Those who have joined us today used to be our opponents,” he said.
The idea of an anti-hopping law was first mooted by the late DAP veteran Karpal Singh in 2010 after three then Perak state assemblymen quit the then Pakatan Rakyat coalition to help BN wrest the state government.