DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party will file an application with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to update the party’s constitution.
“We hope the RoS can approve the application soon and allow us to implement the amendment before the next general election,” he said at a press conference.
Loke said the amendment was to safeguard the party from a “loophole” in the anti-hopping law in which MPs sacked by their party do not have to vacate their seats.
When asked if DAP had any concerns over the delay in gazetting the anti-hopping bill, which was passed in the Dewan Rakyat on July 28, Loke said the party had faith that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong would give it his royal assent soon.
“We also have confidence in law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who has given his word that the anti-hopping law would be gazetted before the next general election.”
DAP is the second Pakatan Harapan component to have amended its party constitution to deal with the “loophole” in the anti-hopping law.
On Sept 18, Amanah amended its constitution so that any MP, senator, or state assemblyman who goes against the party’s decisions would automatically lose their membership.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad was reported to have said that the amendment was necessary so that elected representatives from the party who disobeyed the party’s instructions could be considered as giving up their membership.
Muda’s application to join PH
On a separate matter, Loke said Pakatan Harapan (PH) would meet Muda leaders next week to discuss the party’s application to join the coalition.
The party, led by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, had applied to join PH earlier this month.
When asked to comment on Umno’s Nur Jazlan Mohamed’s remarks that DAP was sidelining its PH ally Amanah to woo Muda, Loke said the Johor Umno deputy chief was a “busybody”.
“Nur Jazlan shouldn’t be commenting on the affairs of others,” he said.
“He must have too much free time as he has decided against contesting in the next general election for fear of losing.”
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Nur Jazlan said Muda was DAP’s new “sugar baby” as Amanah could no longer be relied upon to win Malay votes for DAP now.
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