COMMENT | Let’s call this one out. Both an anti-hopping law and having recall elections, as presently discussed in the public, are the wrong prescriptions to the problem of frequent changes of the government without an election. Such a change of government happens when the government losses the confidence of the majority of the members of the Dewan Rakyat or the State Legislative Assembly.

In considering the issue of party hopping, one must not lose sight of the law on loss of confidence. The prime minister must resign in that situation or face an election. It is inevitable that a loss of confidence involves a change of support and this is permitted in a democracy. It is therefore the law on confidence that must be looked at to mitigate the problem of political instability. But first, we should see why both an anti-hopping law and recall elections would not work.

Anti-hopping law

Generally...