Ongkili, whose party lost power in Sabah in 1994 due to defections, said an anti-hopping law should be enacted in the state within 60 days.

The Sabah and Sarawak affairs minister said PBS had pushed for the introduction of an anti-hopping law in the state assembly 30 years ago, only for the High Court to declare it “null and void”.

Ongkili’s comments come in the wake of the passage of the anti-hopping bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said defections have corrupted Sabah politics, beginning with former Kiulu assemblyman Payar Juman’s move to swap Upko for Usno in 1967.

“After that (Payar’s crossover), Sabah politics was corrupted by party hopping, causing political instability,” he said in a statement.

Ongkili said more recently, Wilfred Madius Tangau of Upko ditched Barisan Nasional to help Warisan form the Sabah state government in the aftermath of the 14th general election.

“That is a classic example of betrayal in pursuit of political posts and personal benefits,” he said.