HOW ISLAMIC ARE THE ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

 

A study conducted by Prof. Hussain Askari of George Washington University entitled *“How Islamic are the Islamic Countries"* showed that most of the countries that apply *Islamic Principles* in their daily lives are not ones that are traditionally Muslim. 

New Zealand ranked 1st,  Luxembourg 2nd, 

Ireland 3rd, 

Iceland 4th, 

Finland 5th, 

Denmark 6th 

Canada 7th. 

Malaysia 38th, 

Kuwait 48th, 

Bahrain 64th 

and the surprise

*Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked 131st*.

 

The study, published in the *Global Economy Journal* might be shocking to most of us but when we look around us and see the reality of the situation, we find that the results of the study are accurate and true.

 

As Muslims we seem to care only about performing religious Obligations/Rituals/Sunnah (prayer, fasting, niqab, beards, etc), reading the Qur’an and the Hadiths, but we don't practice what we espouse. We listen to religious lessons and sermons more than the other people on the face of the earth, but we are still not the best of Nations. In the last 60 years, we have listened to 3,000 Friday sermons.

 

A Chinese merchant once said: “Muslim merchants come to me and ask me to put fake international labels and brands on their goods. When I invite them to eat, they refuse because the food is not Halal. So it is Halal for them to sell fake goods?”

 

A Japanese Muslim said: “I traveled to the West and saw Islam in practice applied in the daily life of non-Muslims. I traveled to the East, I saw Islam but did not see any Muslims. I thank Allah I knew Islam before I knew how Muslims act.”

 

Religion should not be reduced to Prayer and Fasting. It is a way of life and it is about how we treat others.

 

Performing a religious obligation is up to you and it is something between you and Allah. However, good ethics is something between you and other people. In other words, if we do not put Islamic ethics into action and practice, corruption will become rampant and disgrace will be our future.

 

We should not judge a person based on how he performs religious obligations for he might be a hypocrite.

 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Verily, the bankrupt of my nation are those who come on the Day of Resurrection with prayers, fasting and charity, but also with insults, slander, consuming wealth, shedding and beating others.”

 

I believe *Islam* (external aspect of faith) is incomplete without *Imaan* (internal aspect of faith) and *Ihsaan* (social aspect of faith). Ponder, understand and realize this.

 

Lord Bernard Shaw is said to have said:

 

Islam is the best religion and Muslims are the worst followers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ireland/10888707/Ireland-leads-the-world-in-Islamic-values-as-Muslim-states-lag.html

 

 PERMOHONAN MAAF NAJIB

Terkejut mulanya. Kemudian berdekah aku ketawa. Bagi aku, bila Najib minta maaf ini bererti kita telah 𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗵 𝗸𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻. Jadi 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗯 yang selama ni kata Najib 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗻𝗮𝗵, 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗮𝘆𝗮 adalah meleset.

Dalam permohonan maaf ni jelas Najib akui bahawa 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗵 𝗹𝗮𝗸𝘂 𝗸𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 1𝗠𝗗𝗕 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗸𝘂. Dia mengaku ada 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶 1𝗠𝗗𝗕 yang katanya 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗯. Cuma Najib masih berkeras kata dia tak tahu. Jho Low  𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗶 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗸𝗸𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝘂, bukan dia minta. Yang itu biarlah mahkamah tentukan walaupun bagi kita yang waras ni, 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘁𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗸𝘂.

Sekarang dah jelas memang wujud salah laku dalam 1MDB. Sama ada Najib sekongkol atau tidak, hakikat yang jelas, kes 1MDB ini bukti Najib sememangnya 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗶𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗣𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗮𝘆𝗮.

Pertama, kalau dia memang berpakat dengan Jho Low memang dia jahat la. Takkan nak biar penjahat yang uruskan negara ni?

Kedua, kalau dia tak berpakat pun, dia 𝗺𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘂 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗸 𝗝𝗵𝗼 𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝘂. Menunjukkan betapa cuai dan 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗵𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝗜𝗤 𝗡𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗯 sampai mudah diperbodohkan yang mengakibatkan negara kerugian puluhan bilion ringgit.

Pendapat aku, permohonan maaf ni merupakan satu petanda yang Najib dah 𝘁𝗮𝗸 𝘆𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘀 dari tuduhan yang dihadapinya. Dia tahu dia akan didapati bersalah. Permohonan maaf ni cuma untuk buat dia 𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 di hadapan pentaksubnya. Lepas ni walajib tak boleh marah PH lagi pasal Najib ditangkap dan didakwa. Najib sendiri dah mengaku penyelewengan dana 1MDB wujud. PH tak fitnah dia bukan macam dia fitnah DS Anwar tahun 2015 dulu. Penyelewengan wujud tapi Najib buat senyap. Cuba bayangkan kalau 2018 dulu Najib tak jatuh, rasanya dana 1MDB akan terus 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗸 𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆𝗮 walaupun seperti dakwaannya, 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗽𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗿.

𝘚𝘰 walajib. Puas hati dah? Owh satu lagi. Permohonan maaf ini juga buktikan 𝗣𝗔𝗦 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗵. Pemimpin PAS dulu pernah jumpa 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗹 𝗞𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 dan mengaku 𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗽𝘂𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗶 dengan penerangan tentang isu 1MDB. Bila Najib sendiri dah mengaku ni, jadi yang PAS dulu puas hati tu apa benda? Itu tandanya pemimpin PAS 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗵, 𝘁𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀. Atau dia faham tapi sanggup tunjuk bodoh 𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗯 𝗻𝗮𝗸 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗸 𝗡𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗯 yang merupakan PM masa tu.

 BENDA TIDAK MENJADI ISU TETAPI SENGAJA DIJADIKAN ISU

Kita akan bersolat di belakang sesiapa sahaja umat Islam  termasuk para imam Wahhabi-Salafiyy sama ada di Saudi, Mesir atau Malaysia. Tiada ulama ASWJ yang muktabar menghukumkan tidak sah solat di belakang orang yang berbeza mazhab. Hatta solat di belakang ahli bid'ah seperti Muktazilah, ahli maksiat, orang fasiq dan pelaku mungkar, perompak, pencuri atau perasuah pun dihukum sah (walaupun makruh) selagi ianya Islam dan memenuhi syarat imam. 

Kalau pun ada fikrah² mereka yang dihukum sesat pun perlu dibeza antara sesat (i) yang membawa kekufuran jelas atau (ii) yang berdasarkan tafsiran (takwil) nas yang salah. 

Seperti golongan Khawarij dahulu yang menentang Saidina Ali RA, mereka sesat berdasarkan takwil yang fasid tetapi mereka adalah muslim. Adapun solat di belakang mereka, masih sah. Saidina Ali kata mereka adalah saudara² kita tetapi menentang kita (هم اخواننا لكن بغو علينا). Setakat imam yang dikatakan berfahaman Wahhabi pada hari ini apalah sangat jika dibandingkan dengan Muktazilah, Khawarij, Murji'ah atau golongan fasiqin lain. 

Orang ramai termasuk para asatizah yang berimamkan Sheikh Maher Hamad Al-Muaiqly, Imam Masjidil Haram semalam menunjukkan betapa terbukanya ulama ASWJ Asya'irah kepada saudara sesama Islam. Mereka melayani Sheikh dengan penuh ikram. Sheikh datang ke sini pun bukan untuk mengajar fahaman² beliau dan bijak meraikan mazhab setempat.

Berbeza dengan segelintir pihak yang memang berada di sini tetapi sepanjang masa menyebarkan fahaman² yang bercanggah dengan tetapan pihak berkuasa agama setempat. Tidak cukup itu, telah menjadi habit pula mengajar orang ramai untuk memperlecehkan institusi agama seperti JAKIM, IKIM dan jabatan agama yang berbeza dengan mereka.

Saya teringat kata² al-Marhum Sheikh Dato' Abdul Hamid Tahir kepada saya dahulu, katanya "Ana pernah pesan kepada Dato' Juanda semasa awal² dilantik menjadi mufti di sebuah negeri, kalau nak jadi Wahhabi, contohilah sikap Wahhabi di Saudi. Jangan jadi Wahhabi Malaysia!".

Sebenarnya tidak menjadi isu besar pun dengan Sheikh Maher Hamad Al-Muaiqly. Yang menjadikannya masalah ialah pihak tertentu sahaja yang suka menimbulkan kecelaruan dalam masyarakat awam.

Melihat kepada sikap masyarakat yang dididik oleh fahaman ASWJ aliran Asya'irah di Malaysia, kenapa perlu khuatirkan RUU Mufti WP yang memasukkan Asya'irah dalam syarat perlantikannya?. Terbukti aliran mubarakah ini bersikap muktadil sepanjang zaman. 

 

HALAL NO LONGER MERELY ABSTAINING FROM PORK AND ALCOHOL

Tue, 17 September 2024

 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today the halal industry has shown to be more progressive than Western-style capitalism by being inclusive towards smaller and poorer traders.

Opening the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas) 2024 here, Anwar hailed Islamic finance as one of the halal industry’s hallmark achievements as he pledges full governmental support for the reportedly US$3 trillion export market.

“Through the halal industry one of the major weaknesses of [mainstream] economy in terms of the financial sector is to widen coverage to include groups that are always considered [big] traders and businesses that are considered the elites of society,” he said.

“The halal industry will touch each farmer, fisherman, small and petty traders and small and medium enterprises or even small sundry shops.

“For me, in the context of the Madani Economy and the spirit of maqasid shariah, [any industry] must touch almost all segments of the people,” the prime minister added, using the Arabic term meaning the “overarching objectives of Shariah”.

Earlier, the prime minister had also said that the halal industry must go beyond the consumption of halal meat, or abstaining from eating pork and drinking alcohol.

“The traditional understanding of halal, which many people have, was simply ‘no pork, no alcohol.’

“Today, the halal industry excels with certifications that go beyond what is generally acceptable,” he said in is speech.

Malaysia’s halal exports were valued at RM54 billion in 2023 and the government is eyeing to raise it to RM65 billion by next year.

Malaysia is one of the biggest players in the halal market and is at the forefront of the halal certification industry that it pioneered in 2007.

The global halal market is expected to reach US$5 trillion (RM24 trillion) by 2030 as the Muslim population continues to grow. Muslims could make up a fourth of the world population by then.

The size of the halal market has drawn interests and investments even from non-Muslim businesses. Companies from Japan, China and South Korea are among participants at Mihas 2024, attended by 66 countries.

Anwar said the participation from these countries show the global understanding of the halal concept has grown beyond just Islamic ritual in food production.

“They understand that it’s about health, avoiding harmful elements and sophisticated use of materials and ingredients,” the prime minister said.

 

AJARAN ISLAM

Islam diajar Nabi kita wajib menjaga hati org lain. Islam diajar Nabi tidak boleh baca Doa Qunut Nazilah sesama Islam.

Islam diajar Nabi tidak ajar mengkafirkan orang lain. Islam diajar Nabi tidak boleh memfitnah orang lain berzina jika tiada saksi - hukum Qazaf secara automatik kepada yang memfitnah.

Islam diajar Nabi dengan pelbagai berbangsa bangsa hendaklah kita saling kenal mengenal bukan memusuhi dengan api perkauman.

Islam diajar Nabi jangan kita hanya melihat kesalahan orang lain tetapi hendaklah melihat dosa sendiri. Islam diajar Nabi jangan menghina agama orang lain.

Islam diajar Nabi hendaklah berakhlak mulia bukan kuat mencaci. Islam diajar Nabi hendaklah merendah diri dan jangan sombong dengan ilmu.

Islam diajar Nabi hendaklah kita takut dan jauhi Ulama Suk. Islam diajar Nabi jauhi puak Khawarij. Islam diajar Nabi Islam itu rahmat seluruh alam.

  

 

DOA BUKAN UNTUK MENUNJUK-NUNJUK, APATAH LAGI BERPOLITIK 

- Mufti Perlis

Mufti Perlis, Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin menegaskan doa yang dipanjatkan kepada ALLAH SWT bukan untuk menunjuk- nunjuk kepada pihak lain, apatah lagi untuk berpolitik dalam berdoa.

Beliau berkata, tiada siapa yang dapat memakbulkan doa melainkan ALLAH SWT sahaja.

"Doa merupakan permohonan hamba kepada Pencipta yang memiliki segalanya.

"Ia merupakan luahan hajat dan keinginan hamba yang memohon agar tuhan memustajabkannya," katanya dalam status yang dimuat naik di Facebook milik beliau pada Sabtu.

Menurut beliau, doa dipohon dalam keadaan pasrah dan rendah diri seorang hamba.

"Apa yang tersimpan dalam dada seorang hamba ketika berdoa hanyalah harapan yang sepenuhnya kepada ALLAH Maha Agung semata, tidak kepada sesiapa," katanya.

Pada Khamis, Ahli Parlimen Perikatan Nasional (PN) membaca doa Qunut Nazilah selepas Speaker Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Johari Abdul mengumumkan keputusan menggantung Ahli Parlimen Machang, Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal selama enam bulan.

Bacaan itu dipimpin Zulkifli Islam (PN-Jasin) yang juga pemimpin Pas Melaka dan dibacakan di dalam Dewan Rakyat sebaik persidangan ditangguhkan untuk rehat.

 

 

 FEDERAL CONSTITUTION ANTI-HOPPING LAW

Since the Federal Constitution and the country’s laws did not prohibit party-hopping, politicians were free to jump to other political parties without losing their seats as an MP or state lawmaker (which could reverse the overall election outcomes and trigger changes in the government — especially when the ruling coalition only has a slim majority).

After anti-hopping law: What the Federal Constitution says now

In 2022, Parliament finally enacted the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 2022 — more popularly known as the “anti-hopping law” — to amend the Federal Constitution, aiming to discourage elected lawmakers from switching between political parties after they are elected by voters.

The Bill for the anti-hopping law was passed at the Dewan Rakyat on July 28, 2022 and at the Dewan Negara on August 9, 2022, before receiving royal assent on August 31, 2022 and gazetted as law on September 6, 2022.

Through this “anti-hopping law” which came into force on October 5, 2022, Article 48(6) was deleted, which means any MP who resigns as MP will be able to seek re-election at any time and will not face a five-year disqualification period upon resignation.

The anti-hopping law also introduced the new provision Article 49A, where an MP in the Dewan Rakyat will “cease” to be an MP and his seat will become vacant in either of these scenarios:

1) Elected as MP as a political party’s member, but “resigns” or “ceases to be” this party’s member; or

2) Elected as MP as an independent candidate, but joins a political party as a member.

And what does a “member of a political party” in Article 49A mean? The explanatory note in the government’s Bill — which later became law — says this can include an MP who is not a member of any party in a coalition but is a member of the coalition.

The anti-hopping law also amends Article 160 to define “political party” as also including a “coalition”.

The Bill’s explanatory note gives an illustration or example where a party member will not cease to be an MP, namely if his party leaves a coalition of political parties. This is regardless of whether the party then joins another coalition or forms a new coalition.

On the flip side, Article 49A also states the specific scenarios when an MP will not “cease” becoming an MP:

If his political party is dissolved or the party’s registration is cancelled, or

If he resigns as his political party’s member when appointed as a Speaker, or

If his political party expels him as a member

(The Bill’s explanatory note gives examples of when an MP will not cease to be an MP, such as when two parties are either dissolved or deregistered as they had merged and the members of those two parties can remain as MPs; or when a party is dissolved and deregistered and its members then become another party’s members.

(Another example clarifies that a person who is expelled from their party — regardless of whether he joins another party or forms a new party — will not cease to be MP.)

So here’s a loophole: If an MP quits their party, they lose their parliamentary seat. But if the party sacks an MP, the MP keeps his or her parliamentary seat. (We will see later how different parties try to fix this loophole.)

Under Article 49A, when the Dewan Rakyat Speaker receives a written notice from an MP that one of the MPs’ seat has become vacant (e.g. because the latter quits his party), the Speaker will notify the Election Commission (EC) within 21 days, and the EC will then hold a fresh election for the seat within 60 days.

(Q: What about an MP’s right to form associations (which is guaranteed under Article 10(1)(c) to all Malaysians and which could only be restricted by federal law on national security, public order, morality reasons or by labour and education laws)?

(A: The Federal Constitution now has an added Article 10(3A), which allows the right to form associations to be restricted by Article 49A for MPs and by the new Section 7A of the Eighth Schedule for state lawmakers. So what this means is that the new anti-hopping provisions are allowed under the Federal Constitution and do not breach the Article 10 constitutional right.)

Bersatu: Plugging the loophole

Since late last year, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia realised that it had a problem: Six MPs from the party did not quit as members, but gave their support to rival party PKR’s president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his current role as prime minister. (The first of the six MPs made the declaration of support to Anwar as PM on October 12, 2023, while the sixth MP declared this on January 24, 2024.)

These six MPs did not fit in any of the existing boxes in Bersatu’s party rules which would end their membership and lead to fresh elections for their parliamentary seats.

Under Article 10 of Bersatu’s existing constitution, a member’s party membership will immediately cease if any of these seven things happen, including: if they write to the secretary-general to ask to stop being a member; publicly declare quitting the party; or join or become a member of any other political parties in Malaysia.

The other four scenarios which would make someone immediately lose their Bersatu membership are: if they contest in elections without Bersatu’s permission or as independent candidate, or if they act as proposer or seconder in the nomination papers for an independent candidate or rival party’s candidate in elections; are expelled through the party’s disciplinary process; brings any party matters or membership rights to the courts; or loses their Malaysian citizenship.

This was a “loophole” situation: The six MPs continued to keep their parliamentary seats and Bersatu party membership despite backing Anwar as PM, as they did not quit the party or join other parties. Bersatu wanted them to lose their parliamentary seats, but expelling them would not result in fresh elections under the Federal Constitution’s anti-hopping provisions.

So Bersatu wanted to fix this by changing its own party constitution. (Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu previously in February told Malay Mail that any proposed amendments to Bersatu’s constitution must be tabled before an annual general meeting or extraordinary general meeting, and that a two-third majority support is needed to pass such amendments.)

So following its six MPs’ actions, what Bersatu did was to hold an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on March 2 this year, where all the party delegates present unanimously voted to change the party’s constitution in order to plug this “loophole”.

Bersatu decided to add three sub-clauses (Articles 10.4, 10.5, 10.6), including the new rule that any Bersatu members — who are MPs in the Dewan Rakyat or are state legislative members and who do not comply with the Bersatu supreme council’s written orders to them — are considered to have their party membership ceased immediately.

How will this help Bersatu make the six MPs lose their seats to trigger fresh elections, to pave the way for Bersatu to send its own candidates to seek to win those seats to replace the six MPs?

(Answer: Bersatu’s plan is to make these MPs lose their party membership by “ceasing” to be a party member (through their disobedience of the party’s written orders), which would then cause the MPs to lose their seats under the new anti-hopping provisions in Article 49A.)

Now official

While Bersatu decided to change its party constitution, the newly-added rules could only be enforced after the Registrar of Societies’ (RoS) approval.

Under the Societies Act 1966’s Section 11(1)(b), no registered society shall amend its rules without the RoS’ prior approval, and an application for the amendment of the rules is required to be made to the RoS within 60 days of the decision to amend the rules.

On March 2, Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the party will immediately enforce its new rules once the RoS approves them, and that the party will verify with the six MPs if it is true they support PM Anwar, and that the MPs would then lose their parliamentary seats if they say yes.

Meanwhile, another Bersatu member had already made a move, this time Selat Klang assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari who on March 6 declared support for rival party PKR vice-president Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari as Selangor menteri besar. But at the same time, the former Selangor Bersatu chief said he remains committed as a Bersatu member and will continue serving as Selat Klang assemblyman.

Yesterday, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal announced that RoS has approved the amendments to the Bersatu constitution which would enable the vacating of parliamentary seats of the six Bersatu MPs who expressed support for Anwar and would pave the way for by-elections. Attached with his announcement on Facebook was the RoS approval letter dated April 1 and which stated that the Bersatu constitution with the new amendments could take effect from April 1 onwards.

Quick tour of the other political parties

DAP

In DAP’s party constitution as of July 2022, Clause IV’s Section 12 requires a party member — who won elections as a DAP candidate — to resign from their positions in the local council, or as MP or as a state assemblyman, if they resign from DAP or “cease” to be a DAP member.

How would they cease to be a DAP member? Clause III’s Section 3 says this happens when they join any other political party.

Clause IV’s Section 13 says a person will “cease” to be a DAP member if: found or declared to be of unsound mind; declared bankrupt; convicted of offence involving dishonesty and moral turpitude; or files any court action on any party matter without first using up all the avenues available in the party.

On September 25, 2022, DAP delegates in a near-unanimous vote — except for two who opposed — approved amending the party’s constitution, which its secretary-general Anthony Loke had said would close loopholes in the “anti-hopping law”, by enabling the removal of party members who had breached the party’s laws. This was just weeks after the “anti-hopping law” was gazetted. The RoS on November 1, 2022 approved those DAP constitutional amendments.

In its latest party constitution as of November 1, 2022 on DAP’s website, a new Section 4 has been added to Clause III, where a DAP member who is an elected MP in the Dewan Rakyat, an appointed lawmaker in Dewan Negara or a lawmaker in a state legislative assembly shall — subject to DAP’s central executive committee’s (CEC) approval — “cease” to be a party member upon non-compliance of any directive issued by the CEC under the newly-created Section 9(j) in Clause XII.

Section 9(j) enables the CEC to issue specific directives to any or all of its lawmakers in the Dewan Rakyat, Dewan Negara or state legislative assemblies, and all such directives have to be in writing unless the party secretary-general directs otherwise.

In other words, under the new rules in the DAP constitution, disobeying a written order by the party’s central leadership will result in an MP ceasing to be a party member.

This would then result in an MP losing their parliamentary seat upon ceasing to be a DAP member for disobedience of written directives, which would then result in a by-election, based on the “anti-hopping” provisions in the Federal Constitution.

Umno

In Umno’s party constitution on its website, a person ceases to be a member upon bringing party matters or membership rights to court before fully complying with the party’s rules (Article 20.7); or if this person is verified to have become a registered member of another party. Umno can also expel its members (Article 20.8). (This online version does not include the latest amendments.)

Previously, Umno’s constitution’s Article 20.11 stated that an Umno member who won in elections — but then leaves Umno or then contests as an independent candidate or a candidate under a rival party in elections for parliamentary or state seats — will cease to be a member.

On January 13, 2023, Umno’s party delegates unanimously voted to amend the party’s constitution to align with the anti-hopping law.

The amendment was to rework Article 20.11 in Umno’s party constitution into two new provisions on when party membership will automatically cease: Article 20.11.1 (An Umno member elected as an MP or state assemblyman then joins a political alliance which Umno is not part of or chooses to be an independent lawmaker); and Article 20.11.2 (An Umno member contests in any elections as an independent candidate or as candidate of a political alliance that Umno is not part of).

A Flourish table

OK, what about lawmakers in the states? Will the same anti-hopping laws apply to them?

A Flourish table

Just as Malaysia has the Federal Constitution, states in Malaysia have their own respective state constitutions — which are all required to contain a list of the same essential provisions under the Federal Constitution’s Eighth Schedule. Think of it as a standard template that each state must include in its state constitution.

Under the new anti-hopping law’s addition of Section 7A for the Eighth Schedule or the template for state constitutions, similar anti-hopping provisions in Article 49A for MPs will apply to state assemblymen.

But law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had previously said Section 6 in the anti-hopping law — Constitution (Amendment) (No. 3) Act 2022 — gives space for state governments or state legislatures to enact provisions to prohibit lawmakers from switching parties by amending their state constitutions, subject to the state rulers’ or state governors’ agreement.

Based on news reports, the 10 states which had subsequently enacted their own state laws on anti-hopping provisions are Selangor, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan, Sarawak, Kedah, Sabah, Melaka.