PETALING JAYA: Amendments to the Federal Constitution have been tabled in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (April 11) to enable the anti-party hopping Bill to be tabled at a later date.

       Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar tabled the proposed the constitutional amendments in Parliament on Monday (April 11).

       The tabling and debate will involve Article 10 of the Federal Constitution to allow a new law prohibiting MPs from switching parties.

       A total of 65 MPs have been listed to debate the amendments before a vote is taken.

       Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun said the matter would be debated and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to deliver his winding-up speech at 5pm before voting is held.

       The government is seeking to introduce a new Clause 3(A) to amend Article 10(1) of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill.

       The proposed Clause 3(A) will allow the enactment of laws that ban elected representatives in Parliament and the state assembly from switching allegiances.

       Analysts believe that the proposed amendment, which will touch on the freedom of association, will be the first approach to allow the government to finally enact an anti-party hopping law.

       A two-thirds majority is needed to pass a constitutional amendment.

       Wan Junaidi said a special select committee will further deliberate the proposed constitutional amendment.

       He said the decision to defer voting on the constitutional amendment was made following a meeting chaired between Ismail Sabri and Pakatan Harapan’s top leadership on Monday (April 11) morning.

       He added that the anti-party hoping bill is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in the next meeting from July 18 to Aug 4.