AG to draft anti-hopping law - Wan Junaidi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney-General has been asked to draft the anti-hopping law, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said however, it will require in-depth research as it was a complicated matter.

"The government has just started, the legal process will not (take) three days or three weeks, it takes time," he said during the winding-up session on the motion of thanks on the royal address during the Dewan Rakyat sitting here today.

He was replying to Gobind Singh Deo's question (PH-Puchong) regarding the government's commitment to enact the anti-hopping law and whether party hopping will be a criminal offence.

Wan Junaidi said when the draft of the law is ready, it will be discussed with every MP before being tabled in Parliament.

"When the draft of the law is done, we will read it one by one, I will not bulldoze each law, I will ask everyone, not only myself," he said.

Also, he said Pengerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had also submitted a motion about amending the Federal Constitution and a Recall Bill that are listed in the order of business for this meeting.

Meanwhile, on the investigation of three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior officers regarding allegations of abuse of power and misconduct relating to a case of a former department head, Wan Junaidi said it was not an extraordinary matter for an enforcement agency to investigate its own officers as long as it is stipulated under the agency's own jurisdiction.

He said that when a first information report (FIR) is received by the MACC, it is mandatory for the commission to conduct an investigation without delay.

"The investigation is ongoing and the MACC has assured that the investigation will be conducted professionally and in a transparent manner, and there will be no compromise to protect any officer involved in any criminal act," he added.

-- BERNAMA