Umno to amend party constitution for anti-hopping law, says party sec-gen

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 — Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan today said that the party plans to amend its constitution so that members that disobey party orders would have to relinquish seats won in the election.

Ahmad Maslan said he will have to consult with the party’s legal adviser before proposing the amendment.

“Yes. We will discuss with Umno’s legal adviser what constitution clauses and matters needs to be amended in accordance with the amendment of the federal constitution (on the anti-hopping law),” he told reporters after the supreme council meeting today.

Ahmad said Umno had instructed all state administrations under the party and Barisan Nasional to take steps to amend their laws in order to accommodate the law.

“The states under the Barisan Nasional administration must take steps to amend their respective state laws/enactments after the Federal Constitution Amendment related to the ban on party jumping has been gazetted,” he said.

It was reported yesterday that DAP’s top decision-making body will hold a special congress next month to amend the party’s constitution to insert provisions stripping the membership of any of its MP or state assemblyperson who does not follow party decisions.

This was decided in connection with the Anti-Party Hopping Bill, which the Dewan Rakyat passed on July 28.