16 BN reps eye Keadilan
Malaysia’s opposition said Monday that up to 16 ruling party lawmakers are prepared to join its ranks, as it works to seize power with the help of defectors.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has said he is moving towards forming a new government after elections that saw the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition - led by the United Malays National Organisation - suffer unprecedented losses.
“We have up to 15 to 16 lawmakers from BN, including UMNO MPs, who want to join Keadilan,” Shamsul Iskandar Mohamad Akin, the youth leader of Anwar’s Keadilan party, told AFP.
The government, which would lose power if 30 of its lawmakers switch sides, has reacted swiftly to the threat, accusing the opposition of “buying” over its members and threatening a new law to prevent defections.
Shamsul said Keadilan was not buying up lawmakers, or even encouraging them to defect, and that they had voluntarily held talks with Keadilan to discuss crossing over.
“They have come and met Anwar Ibrahim because they have lost faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. They are not crossing over for monetary gains,” he said.
“If they want to come over - both lawmakers and members - we will accept them but we are against buying them over.”
Abdullah is under pressure to resign after the coalition was humiliated in March 8 polls, losing its two-thirds majority in parliament and conceding five states to the opposition.
Shamsul said most of the lawmakers planning to defect are from the eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak.
However, so far no politician has declared a shift to the opposition, and a Sarawak lawmaker who was reported to have defected insisted last week that he remained with the ruling coalition.
Barisan Nasional will have 140 lawmakers in the new 222-seat parliament, against 199 in the outgoing 219-seat parliament.
The opposition alliance won 80 seats from just 19 previously.
Anwar’s Keadilan party, which is formally headed by his wife, will be the biggest opposition party in parliament, but Anwar is barred from standing for public office until April because of a corruption conviction.
I heard rumours some Sabah/ Sarawak MPs are having a very strenous study trip in Australia…all expenses paid…all activities being videotaped for educational purposes…..hohohohoho…:-)
Comment by kittykat46 — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 18: 49.58
Such politicians which switch sides are like prostitutes - go where the money is. If you think our PM is weak (which I agree), by all means say so before the Election. Do as what PBS did in 1999 election, pull out of BN before the election. Have some intergrity please. You cannot stand under one party and win, then choose to switch party. How can anyone vote for this type of politician? Are they working for the people or for themselves?!
Comment by Wormie — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 19: 15.56
the government is not stable now. anything can happen… i hope everything goes smooth until next election.
Comment by Ashwina — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 19: 31.24
Why use the term “lawmakers ” when “politicians” is more appropriate?
The no party hopping laws should have been made decades ago but that was in the BN/UMNO’s interests not too. It’s the ultimate betrayal of voters, a very disgusting undertaking by opportunistic politicians.
Comment by wits0 — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 20: 28.48
I support law against defection.
Comment by carboncopy — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 22: 41.14
As the DAP has been afflicted by several high profile opportunists in the past hopping parties, and as a firm believer in the principle of the party above the individual, I am completely against party hopping.
Comment by Mycroft — Monday, 24-03-2008 @ 23: 59.23
I do not think it will materialised. Reason being, if is true it would have had happen. but it seems like ntohing is happening!in terms of anti hopping law - my view is that it should not be introduced. It is against the freedom of association and thus against the basic human rights. In Malaysia we need to improve and move forward towards more human rights and not the other way round. as the the rep or MP that jump ships, is totally up to them but the question is where is their conscience? to me a human that do not have princple in life is not much better than animal
Comment by UNDI BN 2013 — Friday, 28-03-2008 @ 13: 50.21