Anti Party-Hopping Proposal Is Mere DAP Political Spinning - Chua

PETALING JAYA, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek today slammed DAP for proposing to amend the Penang state constitution to prevent party-hopping, saying that the move was only political spinning by the opposition party.

Questioning DAP sincerity on the matter, Dr Chua said DAP also knew it well that the proposal would not pass through the state assembly and it was against the Federal Constitution to restrict an individual's political freedom.

He said if DAP was really committed on preventing party-hopping, they could just do so by amending its party constitution.

"Amending party constitution is the simplest. It is easy to amend and to say that the party will not accept any "political frog", and if they (party-hoppers) jump, they will not be offered any seat.

"The whole story ends. Why need to go to the state assembly. At the end of the day, you make a lot of noise, attract attention but it is not as honorable as the DAP make it out to be," he told reporters after witnessing a presentation of monetary rewards by The Star Publications (M) Berhad to national Olympians Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Pandelela Rinong Pamg, here today.

Lee, who won a silver in badminton and Pandelala, a bronze in the diving event in the just concluded London Olympic Games were awarded RM100,000 each.

The MCA president was commenting on Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's proposal to table at the state assembly an anti-party hopping law.

Recounting several events on party hopping since 2008, including PKR's advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's Sept 16 infamous claim that the opposition would form the Federal Government after a list of Barisan Nasional (BN) lawmakers were said to be defecting to the opposition, Dr Chua said DAP had been all along supporting party hopping.

He said DAP had accepted two former Umno leaders to its fold early this year and the two Umno veterans were even promised seats in the upcoming general election.

"In a recent case, two former Sabah BN leaders also joined the opposition but the DAP didn't say a word," he said referring to Beaufort MP and chairman of BN Beaufort Datuk Seri Lajim Ukin and Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Bumburing, who is also United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) deputy president, who had quit BN last month to support the opposition.

"If DAP was sincere about anti-party hopping, they should not accept party hoppers from the very beginning," he added.

Earlier in his speech at the reward ceremony, Dr Chua urged all Malaysians to be united and support the national atheletes in their quests to bring greater glory to the country.

"If politicians failed to unite all Malaysians, at least both of you have helped to unite all Malaysians.

"Let us not let politics divide all of us when it comes to us," he added.