PENAMPANG: The anti-party hopping law has no loopholes, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Azalina said the previous government passed the act. She added that it is unfair to blame the current administration when they are now the opposition.
"There are no loopholes. Which government enacted the anti-party hopping law? Now, when they are the opposition, they claim the law has loopholes. Didn't they think about the loopholes when they enacted the law? "
"Why push it to us? Is it our job to close the loopholes? No. Our job right now is to make sure that we recognise, with the existing law, that the anti-hopping law states that the seat belongs to the party, to the people.
"I want to emphasise that the seat does not exclusively belong to individual members of Parliament. This is the key point I am trying to convey," she said in a press conference today, held in conjunction with the launch of `Justice On Wheels' at Dewan Gawir, Kampung Madsiang.
Azalina was asked to comment on whether the government plans to update or amend the anti-party hopping law, which is claimed to have loopholes.
She added that the government's priority is the people.
"Whenever you talk about the anti-hopping law, you talk about power. The people are tired of power struggles.
"People want stability so that the government can concentrate on economic development. That is why the government is focusing on Madani," she said.