COMMENT | Constitutional amendment overreaches objective, open to abuse

COMMENT | The Malaysian Bar notes with alarm the intention of the Malaysian government to amend the Federal Constitution by way of the proposed Constitution (Amendment) (No 3) Bill 2022 (Bill) at a special Parliament sitting today (April 11, 2022).

The proposed constitutional amendment, if passed by the requisite two-thirds majority, will then pave the way for the subsequent introduction of legislation to counter the changing of political allegiances of incumbent members of Parliament and/or members of State Legislative Assemblies, merely on a simple majority basis.

The Malaysian Bar’s observation of the proposed constitutional amendment is that it is treacherous on many counts - because it does not stop at just anti-hopping but overreaches to possible abuse by the ruling government to control other political parties.

The proposed amendment is...