KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's political parties are now pushing for the anti-hopping law to be adopted by the state government a week after a bid to unseat Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor failed.
Government-link parties from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan are calling for the state anti-hopping enactment to be tabled as early as March this year to bring about political stability.
Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) president Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said that his party with seven assemblymen in GRS, will be pushing for the anti-hopping law to be introduced in Sabah.
He said PBS had supported the anti-hopping law when it was tabled in Parliament last year.
Ongkili said that Hajiji has indicated that the anti-hopping Bill would be tabled but they were not sure when the next sitting of the Sabah assembly will be held.
"The CM has already indicated that it was on the next agenda of the assembly. So we don't know when (is the next sitting)," he told reporters during the Chinese New Year walkabout at the popular Gaya Street Sunday market here.
"We will support it. The passing of the anti-hopping law is a victory for PBS; anything that strengthens the sanctity of the loyalty of the assemblymen to the party and to the rakyat," he said, hoping that it would be tabled in the next sitting.
Sabah was scheduled to table the anti-hopping law during the budget session in November last year but Hajiji held it back stating that they were focusing on the state Budget 2023.
Sabah Pakatan chairman Datuk Christina Liew said that Pakatan would support the anti-hopping Bill but would leave it to party leaders to make collective decisions.
"Initially, we are in support. but we will leave it to the party leadership to decide on the matter, Liew, who is state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, told reporters while she was at the Chinese New Year walkabout at Gaya Street here.
"I am sure the Chief Minister would know what to do. If it is initiated, we will leave it to the party leadership to decide on the matter. If the initiative is from the government, we will support it," she added.
Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick, who officially took over as president of Upko Sunday, said that the anti-hopping Bill should be tabled at the assembly sitting in March.
Benedick, who is Kadamaian assemblyman, said that he had made the proposal to the Chief Minister as it was important to create political stability in the state.
Last week, Sabah Barisan Nasional led by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin pulled out its support for GRS, forcing Hajiji to lose his majority in the assembly.
However, Hajiji managed to get a 44-seat majority in the 79-member Sabah assembly through the support of Sabah Pakatan and five renegade Barisan assemblymen.
With a four seat majority, many analysts expect pressure continuing to mount on both sides of the political spectrum as they would be wooing assemblymen to crossover.
Barisan together with Warisan and Parti KDM has a total 35 seats between them.
The opposing parties are also part of the national unity government and have been pushing for a similar unity government at the state level after the failed bid to topple Hajiji.
