[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih 2.0) menyatakan rasa bimbang tentang kemungkinan penerimaan ahli parlimen Umno yang melompat ke Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) sebagaimana yang didedahkan oleh timbalan Presiden Bersatu Mukhriz Tun Mahathir.
Tindakan ahli-ahli parlimen yang melompat parti adalah satu pengkhianatan terhadap mandat yang diberikan oleh pengundi yang mengundi mereka atas parti yang mereka tandingi pada pilihan raya umum 2018 yang lepas.
Tindakan tersebut juga adalah satu penghinaan kepada demokrasi apabila ahli Parlimen parti yang kalah pada pilihan raya seperti Umno dengan mudah menyeberang kepada parti yang memerintah dan menikmati kejayaan dan manfaat sebagai kerajaan, dan bukannya menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka sebagai pembangkang untuk memainkan peranan semak dan imbang dalam demokrasi.
Persoalan yang berbangkit juga adalah adakah selepas ini ahli-ahli parlimen Umno tersebut akan dibawa ke muka pengadilan untuk perbuatan mereka yang telah menyalahgunakan kuasa dan korup di bawah rejim terdahulu selepas mereka diterima dalam gabungan pemerintah.
Banyak pihak telah memberi cadangan kepada kerajaan untuk menggubal undang-undang anti lompat parti. Walaubagaimanapun, undang-undang anti lompat parti telah diputuskan sebagai melanggar hak kebebasan berpersatuan sebagaimana dijamin oleh Perkara 10 Perlembagaan Persekutuan oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan dalam kes melibatkan Dewan Undangan Negeri Kelantan dan Nordin Salleh pada tahun 1992.
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Isu lompat parti beramai-ramai ini menunjukkan adanya percanggahan di dalam sistem kita yang memerlukan satu pertimbangan yang berhati-hati untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian tatkala demokrasi semakin hidup dan berkembang dalam negara ini.
Di satu sudut, penggubal undang-undang harus mempunyai kebebasan untuk bercanggah dengan pendirian parti supaya debat di Parlimen menjadi lebih bermakna.
Dari satu sudut yang lain pula, ahli Parlimen melompat secara gerombolan akan memudaratkan demokrasi kerana ianya dapat mengubah keputusan pilihan raya dan menyebabkan ketidakstabilan dengan menimbulkan perlawanan antara parti untuk mengawal pembelotan.
Bersih 2.0 mengulangi seruan untuk membahaskan dengan lebih mendalam sistem pilihan raya dan sistem parti politik dalam kerangka agenda pembaharuan sistem pilihan raya. Bersih 2.0 menggesa agar parti-parti Pakatan Harapan untuk bertindak dengan penuh bertanggungjawab sebagai parti di dalam kerajaan untuk tidak menimbulkan gangguan dan ketidakstabilan kepada sistem politik hanya selepas enam bulan bertukarnya kerajaan.
Perdana Menteri Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan Pakatan Harapan harus ingat bahawa rakyat Malaysia tidak menukar kerajaan Barisan Nasional untuk melihat aktiviti melompat parti secara besar-besaran hanya untuk mendapat jawatan atau untuk kepentingan peribadi. Ia juga akan dilihat sebagai jalan untuk meloloskan diri daripada pendakwaan kerana rasuah atau jenayah.
Jawatankuasa pemandu Bersih 2.0
English version
Umno MPs joining Bersatu en masse will destablise democracy
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (Bersih 2.0) expresses grave concerns about the possible acceptance of United Malays National Organiation (Umno) members of Parliament who cross over to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) as revealed by Bersatu deputy president Mukhriz Mahathir.
Such an act of switching parties by members of Parliament would be a betrayal of the mandate given by the electorate who voted them into Parliament in the 2018 general election based on the platform of the political party on which they contested.
It also makes a mockery of our democracy if members of Parliament of losing parties such as Umno can easily defect to the ruling parties and enjoy all the glory and benefits of being in government instead of playing their role in the opposition to provide checks and balances in a democracy.
It further raises the question of whether these Umno members of Parliament will be held accountable for their past abuse of power and corruption under the previous regime once they are accepted in the ruling coalition.
Many have suggested that the government legislate a law against such defections. Nevertheless, such a law has been ruled as in violation of the right to freedom of association guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution by the Federal Court in the case involving the Kelantan State Assembly and Nordin Salleh in 1992.
The issue of mass defections highlights an institutional contradiction in our system that needs careful deliberation for a solution as democracy is deepened and comes alive.
On the one hand, lawmakers must have adequate freedom to even go against the party line for parliamentary debates to be meaningful.
On the other, the mass defections of lawmakers is harmful to democracy as it can both substantially alter an election outcome and cause instability by triggering inter-party competition in courting defections.
Bersih 2.0 repeats its call for extensive debates on the electoral system and party system under the agenda of electoral reform. It strongly urges all Pakatan Harapan parties to act responsibly as parties in government and not cause disruption and instability to the political system by enticing member of Parliament just six months after the change of government.
Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Pakatan Harapan must remember that Malaysians did not vote out Barisan Nasional to see a rampant exercise of party defections, clearly driven by positions and personal gain and which may be perceived as an escape route from corruption and criminal prosecution.
Bersih 2.0 steering committee
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Article 10 – the law must distinguish wakil rakyat from ordinary citizens. Ini bukan harta peribadi.
Party jumping by MPs should only be accepted if the elected MPs on the original party that they were nominated and elected by the party resign to face the voters contesting on another political platform. In this way, the voters have the power to give their mandate.
Pakatan Harapan should not encourage UMNO members to resign and join any member party in Harapan. This is just like inviting thieves into your home.
If only they had included this in their manifesto.
A law should be made, that if an elected representative such as an MP or state assemblyman switches party during their term, the seat falls vacant and the former MP or state assemblyman will have to recontest it in a byelection under the different party, if he or she wants to regain the seat.
Whilst some Malaysians may vote for the person, I believe that most, including myself, vote for the party and if the party candidate I had voted for switches party, it is a betrayal of my vote, so I should be given the opportunity to vote again for a candidate in a byelection.
…Suckers galore we are….sampah sarap UMNO diperdayabangsatkan.