PETALING JAYA: The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih 2.0) is calling for an anti-hopping and political accountability law for the upcoming Melaka state election.

       "We are calling for an anti-party hopping and political accountability law to decide if an elected person should be removed or maintained," said its chairman Thomas Fann who added that this was the seventh time there had been a change of government at state level since last year.

       "There should be a confirmatory vote of confidence for the chief minister after his appointment within the state assembly to confirm that he has the majority support of the house.

       "There should be a constructive vote of no confidence for the chief minister unless he can prove that he has the support of the majority.

       "It only took a small group of elected representatives to hold their party leader to ransom in Melaka. It took only four assemblymen to bring down the government.

       "Just because the incumbent party has lost the majority, it doesn't mean the opposition has the support," he said during a press conference via Zoom on Wednesday (Oct 27).

       Fann added that equal allocation of constituency development funds should be provided to all assemblymen.

       "This should be regardless of (whether they are in) the ruling party or the opposition.

       "Besides, the executive agenda for the state assembly sitting should be at the consultation of the government of the day and the opposition.

       "It should not be decided by only the speaker and the chief minister," he said.

       Fann also said the appointment of committee members in the state should reflect the strength or number of elected representatives from each party.

       Nomination day for the Melaka elections will be on Nov 8 followed by a 12-day campaign period and polling day on Nov 20.

       On Oct 24, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said all physical political gatherings in Melaka were banned from Oct 25 to Nov 27.