'Lompat Party'/ Party Hoping Motion to be discussed at Bar EGM

 

‘Switch party and lose all’ motion for Bar EGM

FMT Reporters

-

September 23, 2021 3:52 PM

The motion says the party under which candidates contest is an important factor for the voters when it comes to choosing their representatives.

PETALING JAYA: A motion at the Malaysian Bar’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Saturday wants elected representatives who leave their parties or coalition after winning to be automatically disqualified and a by-election called instead.

The motion filed by Charles Hector, however, said there should be an exception if the MP or state assemblyman is sacked by the party and chooses to be an independent.

However, he should be disqualified the moment he joins another party which opposed him in the election.

The Election Commission (EC) should call for an election immediately to allow the people in the constituency to choose their new representative. This is to ensure the people’s right and choice will be the ultimate winner.

“It is absurd for elected representatives who have lost the support of their constituents to continue to act as though they still have the peoples’ mandate.

“There shall also be no bar on them from contesting in the by-election in the same constituency as the mandate goes back to the electorate.”

The motion, sighted by FMT, states that the party under which the candidates contest, and their election manifestos are important factors for the voters when it comes to choosing their representatives and notes that Article 48 of the Federal Constitution will have to be amended for this to take effect.

The motion is also urging the Bar Council to do all that is needed to get the government to repeal existing provisions that bar persons from running for elections for five years after they finish serving their prison sentence or a fine upon conviction.

“This is not only unjust but also encourages discrimination against ex‐convicts after they complete their sentences,” it said.

The motion has also urged the Bar Council to propose changes to the Elections Act to empower the EC to investigate and prosecute when it comes to crimes related to elections.- FMT, 23/9/2021

‘Lompat parti, hilang semua’, usul dibawa ke mesyuarat agung luar biasa Majlis Peguam

FMT Reporters

1 day ago © Provided by Free Malaysia Today Usul yang akan dibawa ke mesyuarat itu menyatakan hanya wakil rakyat yang dipecat partinya sahaja boleh mengekalkan statusnya sebagai wakil rakyat.

PETALING JAYA: Wakil rakyat yang meninggalkan parti atau pakatan politik yang diwakilinya selepas menang pilihan raya secara automatik hilang kelayakan sebagai wakil rakyat adalah antara usul akan dibentangkan dalam mesyuarat agung luar biasa Majlis Peguam, Sabtu ini.

Bahkan ia tidak terhad kepada perkara itu sahaja, usul berkenaan turut menekankan bahawa Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) perlu mengadakan pilihan raya kecil segera bagi membolehkan rakyat memilih wakil rakyat baharu.

Bagaimanapun, usul itu yang dikemukakan Charles Hector, memberi pengecualian jika Ahli Parlimen atau Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) itu dipecat oleh partinya dan memilih menjadi wakil rakyat bebas.

Namun wakil rakyat berkenaan perlu digugurkan selepas menyertai parti lain yang bertanding melawannya pada pilihan raya.

“SPR perlu mengadakan pilihan raya kecil segera bagi membenarkan rakyat di kawasan terbabit memilih wakil rakyat baharu. Ini perlu dilaksanakan bagi menjamin rakyat menjadi pemenang utama dalam mempertahankan hak mereka untuk memilih.

“Adalah tidak masuk akal wakil rakyat yang dipilih dan hilang sokongan rakyat di kawasannya, namun berterusan mewakili mereka seolah-olah ia masih membawa mandat rakyat kawasannya.

“Mereka juga tidak sepatutnya dilarang bertanding semula dalam pilihan raya kecil di kawasan sama kerana mandat sudah kembali semula kepada pengundi,” katanya.

Usul yang dilihat FMT itu, turut menyatakan calon yang bertanding mewakili partinya, termasuk jika manifesto pilihan raya yang dibuat menjadi faktor utama bagi pengundi untuk mereka memilih wakil rakyat, justeru memerlukan pindaan terhadap Artikel 48 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, untuk dikuatkuasakan.

Usul berkenaan juga mendesak Majlis Peguam melakukan apa-apa sahaja yang perlu bagi memastikan kerajaan meminda peruntukan yang melarang individu daripada terbabit dalam pilihan raya selama lima tahun selepas menamatkan hukuman penjara atau didenda kerana sabit kesalahan di mahkamah.

“Ini bukan sahaja tidak adil, malah menggalakkan diskriminasi terhadap bekas banduan selepas mereka menjalani hukuman,” katanya.

Usul itu juga mendesak Majlis Peguam mencadangkan perubahan dalam Akta Pilihan Raya bagi memperkasa SPR untuk menyiasat dan mendakwa perbuatan yang membabitkan jenayah yang berlaku berhubung pilihan raya. - MSN

 

Party-hopping and voter rights to be discussed at upcoming Bar Council EGM

Published:  Sep 22, 2021 4:25 PM

⋅

Updated: 4:41 

 

Party-hopping by lawmakers is among nine motions expected to be raised at the Bar Council’s extraordinary general meeting (EGM) this Saturday.

The motion entitled 'Motion on party-hopping, removal of MPs and restoration of peoples’ rights in determining who their representative MPs and ADUNS are at all times' dated Sept 16 is proposed by human rights lawyer Charles Hector Fernandez.

When contacted, Bar Council committee members Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, New Sin Yew and Surendra Ananth confirmed this as among the issues to be raised at the upcoming EGM.

According to a copy of the list of agenda and motions for the EGM, the Bar is also set to discuss Fernandez’ other two motions, namely on protecting children’s rights and abolishing gender discrimination in Malaysian laws, as well as abolishing acquittal when the prosecution discontinues court (criminal case) proceedings mid-trial.

Among the other motions to be raised are on increasing the number of elected members in the Bar Council per Section 47(2)(c) of the Legal Profession Act, which is proposed by former Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan and four other lawyers.

The EGM, to be held at 10am, would be conducted virtually from the Bar Council headquarters at Wisma Badan Peguam Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

According to a media invite issued today, the Bar will hold a press conference at 2pm after the EGM.

An anti-hopping law is one of the reforms the government has promised in a deal with Pakatan Harapan signed on Sept 13.

Recently, Pengerang MP and former deputy Dewan Rakyat speaker Azalina Othman Said renewed her long-standing call for an anti-hopping law, citing the example of voting against the party line in Parliament.

During a speech at the Dewan Rakyat two days ago, former prime minister and Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir Mohamad, while acknowledging the need to prevent parliamentarians from “party-hopping”, had cautioned that it is not as simple as outlawing “hopping”.

The Langkawi MP said that parties coming together as a coalition to form a simple majority government after an election should not fall under the ambit of any future anti-hopping law. - Malaysiakini, 22/9/2021