DAP, I believe, is making a serious mistake - it wants to automatically expel its party members, including MPs, if they do not toe the party line.
DAP has successfully passed a motion to amend its constitution so that elected representatives who do not toe the party line on fundamental issues would automatically lose their membership.
On Sept 18, Amanah amended its constitution so that any MP, senator, or state assemblyman who goes against the party’s decisions would automatically lose their membership.
This means that a MP, who wants to remain in DAP, must abandon his duty as the people's representative - for he cannot take the position of the people of their constituency or what he thinks is best, but only the position of DAP > Is this not a betrayal of the people?
FEUDALISM - blind obedience to the party leadership, is this what DAP is advocating? What 'party leadership' - the Chairman, Secretary General, National Central Committee? Not even the majority of members of the party?
An MP or ADUN are peoples' representative >> hence they represent the people of the constituency in Parliament and/or State Legislative Assemblies - this must not be forgotten or ignored. What DAP is proposing now is akin to saying do not listen to your constituents, do not act according to your own conscience....but simply follow the party line.
Some DAP MPs have taken the position for the abolition of the death penalty, but DAP, as a party, has not taken that position with regard the death penalty >>> So, will all these MPs who are for the abolition of the death penalty automatically be expelled from the DAP?
Some DAP MPs have taken the position for the abolition of detention without trial, but I have not seen DAP taking the position. So will all DAP MPs who have taken the position to abolish detention without trial laws like POCA, POTA and Dangerous Drugs(Special Preventive Measures) Act be automatically expelled.
In any society, like a country, it has human members, and being human not everyone will have the same position and stance on the various different issues. The majority prevails for the day, and the minority accepts this 'current' position of the party - and they will still lobby campaign with the hope that their now minority view may one day be the majority view. Is DAP planning to automatically expel all those with a differing stance from the party position.
Did any party election result in one leader managing to get unanimous support from members? This never happens generally, they win party elections because they managed to get more votes than their opponent >> so, will those who oppose the elected leadership at risk of expulsion?
A good political party will NEVER expel members, save for something very serious like being convicted of serious crimes including abusing of power like in the Najib's case - there too UMNO is yet to take disciplinary action against Najib, let alone expel.
Remember MPs and ADUNs are NOT ELECTED by DAP - A political party merely permits candidates to stand as the party candidate > the people elect. Of course, when the people vote, the fact that he/she is from DAP plays a significant role in their vote >>> That is why anti-hopping laws are needed to ensure immediate disqualification as MP - giving the people another chance to decide who they want as MP.
The anti-hopping law(when it comes into force) also is clear that MPs expelled by their parties will not be disqualified. This is right, and prevents political parties or their leaders from 'CONTROLING' MPs - a threat of expulsion will make many a MP to toe the party line, even though they personally believe something else is right.
DAP's proposal to expel MPs who do not toe the CURRENT party line or listen to the CURRENT leaders is simply wrong. If DAP were to govern Malaysia, would they also be expelling or withdrawing citizenship of the people that oppose them?
DAPs move will make MPs 'slaves' or 'party yes-man' > Is that what DAP wants? What about freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, etc ..
If a DAP MP says or takes a position against party line >> WELL, DAP can always publicly clarify the party's position, and say that what that particular MP said on this issue is not the party's position. SIMPLE - why expel? Why even commence disciplinary proceedings?
We want our MPs and ADUNs to be free to express themselves and even vote - and that is why the Party WHIP, which tells MPs and ADUNs how they should vote really should be abolished. The use of the WHIP, like in some jurisdictions, should be limited to important issues like the BUDGET - but not for each and every Act or Motion before the Parliament.
The current state of affairs is bad for DEMOCRACY - as most MPs do not even bother to consider the Bills or the issues raised in Parliament - WHY? Because at the end of the day, it simply does not matter, when the MP will have to simply vote as how their political party tells them...they have to right to vote according to their own conscience, or even how the people they represent wants them too.
We, in Malaysia, generally do not even know how our MPs voted on the Bills and issues in Parliament > because there is NO RECORD of how an individual MP voted on a particular issue. Our parliamentarians love 'voice vote' - which does not leave any evidence of how you voted. In Malaysian Parliament, some say there is really no need to vote >> all the Speaker needs to do is look at the attendance as the time, and he knows the end result...JOKE, is it not?
That is WHY the people treats MPs like 'Santa Claus' or welfare centre - they do not go to MPs to try to take this or that position on Bills and issues before Parliament. Some MPs even during ceramah do not express their OWN views but repeat the party position - boring, is it not?
Which MP or member should be expelled? Failed to 'toe the party line' is certainly not a ground for expulsion, or even any disciplinary action. Sexual Harassment, Rape, Murder, Theft of Party Funds >>> well these are serious crimes that may justify disciplinary action ...
'...Loke said the amendment was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law in which MPs sacked by their party do not have to vacate their seats...'
Now, when the new anti-hopping law comes into force, MPs expelled by their parties will not be disqualified as MPs, so no by-elections to choose a new MP. So, DAP or Amanah's expulsion of MPs will be useless > it is better for them to retain these MPs, until they quit on their own - resulting in a disqualification, and a new elections for constituents to choose again a new MP..
Therefore, is this new amendment just 'PROPAGANDA' meant to deceive the people into believing DAP is anti-party hopping? But expulsion does not mean disqualification of MP... so it may be meant to undermine the soon to be anti-hopping laws, once it comes into force.
"Bonded MPs', like 'bonded labour' - that is what we will have if MPs MUST be totally obedient to current party leadership...
DAP, Amanah and other political parties really should not be expelling MPs that did not 'toe the party line', and if it is an offence, other internally disciplinary measures are better..
At the end of the day, what the party's constitution is up to its members only - the rest of us have no say in it. So, of course, this is my opinion only - not being a DAP member...But, party constitution and policies will also tell Malaysians about the kind of party it is, its values and principles...
See earlier related post:
PM and Cabinet need to put the Anti-Party Hopping Law in force now - before dissolving Parliament and calling for GE15?
DAP amends constitution to ensure reps toe the line or lose membership
SHAH ALAM: DAP has successfully passed a motion to amend its constitution so that elected representatives who do not toe the party line on fundamental issues would automatically lose their membership.
DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party will file an application with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to update the party’s constitution.
“We hope the RoS can approve the application soon and allow us to implement the amendment before the next general election,” he said at a press conference.
Loke said the amendment was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law in which MPs sacked by their party do not have to vacate their seats.
When asked if DAP had any concerns over the delay in gazetting the anti-hopping bill, which was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on July 28, Loke said the party had faith that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would give it his royal assent soon.
“We also have confidence in law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who has given his word that the anti-hopping law would be gazetted before the next general election.”
DAP is the second Pakatan Harapan component to have amended its party constitution to deal with the “loophole” in the anti-hopping law.
On Sept 18, Amanah amended its constitution so that any MP, senator, or state assemblyman who goes against the party’s decisions would automatically lose their membership.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad was reported to have said that the amendment was necessary so that elected representatives from the party who disobeyed the party’s instructions could be considered as giving up their membership.
Muda’s application to join PH
On a separate matter, Loke said Pakatan Harapan (PH) would meet Muda leaders next week to discuss the party’s application to join the coalition.
The party, led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, had applied to join PH earlier this month.
When asked to comment on Umno’s Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s remarks that DAP was sidelining its PH ally Amanah to woo Muda, Loke said the Johor Umno deputy chief was a “busybody”.
“Nur Jazlan shouldn’t be commenting on the affairs of others,” he said.
“He must have too much free time as he has decided against contesting in the next general election for fear of losing.”
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Nur Jazlan said Muda was DAP’s new
“sugar baby” as Amanah could no longer be relied upon to win Malay votes
for DAP now. - FMT, 25/9/2022
DAP passes motion to amend constitution on anti-party hopping
SHAH ALAM (Sept 25): The DAP 2022 Special Congress on Sunday (Sept 25) passed a motion to amend its constitution so as to prohibit its elected representatives from party hopping, in line with the Anti-Party Hopping Bill passed in Parliament.
Secretary General Anthoy Loke Siew Fook said 632 delegates supported, while two opposed the amendments, which would soon be submitted to the Registrar of Societies so that it could be enforced before the 15th General Elections (GE15).
Loke said the amendments to the party's constitution also covers Members of Parliament (MPs) who were sacked for violating the party's directives and policies.
"If the party's constitution says that any Member of Parliament who breaks party laws will lose their membership, Parliament will follow suit," he told a press conference after the congress here on Sunday.
In the meantime, Loke said negotiations on the distribution of seats
between Pakatan Harapan (PH) component parties in several states have
been completed, while the rest are expected to be finalised by the end
of this month. - Edge Markets, 25/9/2022
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