Anti-hop law worth pursuing, says Pairin

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 9 (Daily Express) -- Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan on Monday said the anti-hop law is a good idea and that the Federal Government or leaders need to think about it.

"The idea is of course very good and therefore if this matter is being focused by people from the opposition, it's always a matter which the Federal Government or leaders need to think about," he said.

He was asked to comment on Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) proposal to have the anti-hop law to be reinstated to prevent defections of Members of the Legislative Assembly.

He told reporters this after representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman after the launching of the international conference on forests and climate change entitled "Decoding and Realising REDD-plus in the Heart of Borneo, with Specific Focus on Sabah".

But because it is a political question, he said they have to look into it according to the situation.

However, he refused to state that the idea should be supported because it comes from the opposition.

On the other hand, he said the matter should be looked at as to its content and implications.

"It is not something that need not be taken into consideration or need not be discussed," he said.

And if the SAPP wish to bring it up the issue for argument, debate or for consideration in Parliament, he said they are free to do it.

In fact, he said they should look at what other people have said before.

As an advocate of the anti-hop law, he said they should look at the two comments made by him and also by Yong.

Pairin, who is PBS President said that he has never stopped harping on the issue.

To this, he said that any comments, recommendations or suggestions from anyone, it would be considered especially from the political aspects.

The PBS State Government led by him (Pairin) had at one time introduced the anti-hop law to prevent elected Assemblymen hopping over to another party due to being enticed with offers, among others.

However, the Federal Court ruled it was ultra vires the Federal Constitution as elected representatives are also entitled to freedom of association.

Following the ruling, PBS was no longer able to keep its assemblymen together and precipitated its downfall in 1994.

PBS introduced the anti-hop law while it was in BN in the late 1980s but by the time it was nullified, the party was already in the opposition.

Nevertheless, Pairin said where development are concerned, there are things that are of priority and things that need to be looked into as far as people are concerned.

In this respect, he said that the Prime Minister's focus on programmes such as the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) and National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), among others, is the focus of the nation at this particular time.