KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — A Sabah MP today proposed that Malaysia should have a Fixed-term Parliaments Act, similar to the United Kingdom, to avoid the huge costs for snap elections, be it on the state or national level.

Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin made the suggestion, in voicing his support for the proposed Anti-Party Hopping Bill, calling for it to be tabled in the current parliamentary sitting.

Chan, in his debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill, said that the current arrangement followed by Malaysia gives the prime minister the power to hold elections as he sees fit, causing political uncertainties in the country.

"So when we create the Anti-Party Hopping Act mechanism to prohibit elected representatives from changing their political stance arbitrarily, then the change of government due to the loss of elected representatives will not be a norm like what is happening now. Therefore, it is good if the general election or state election can only be held when the term is over and this is something that is fair.

"In the UK, this Fixed-term Parliaments Act sets in legislation a fixed election date for Parliament. Before the Act was passed, an election was required by law to be held at least once every five years. But it can be called earlier if the prime minister advises the monarch to exercise his royal prerogative to do so. First, the prime minister often uses this mechanism to hold elections before the end of his five-year term, sometimes a little early, and critics see this as giving an unfair advantage to a serving prime minister.

"And this Fixed-term Parliaments Act has abolished this power of the prime minister and with this Fixed-term Parliaments Act, I feel our country Malaysia can not only save costs in holding unexpected, unplanned elections, but the necessary costs can be provided in advance and allocated in the Budget,” he said.

Chan said that the recently concluded Johor state polls saw the government forking out RM96 million, adding that if the election was held concurrently with the 2018 general election, the government through the Election Commission (EC) would have only dished out RM35 million.

The Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 is an Act of the Parliament of the UK which sets in legislation for the first time, a default fixed election date for a general election there.

In his speech later, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin agreed with Chan’s proposal, adding that the Act, should it come into force, would reinstate political stability in Malaysia.

"If possible, in MoU 2.0, if the Bera MP wants political stability, do a MoU 2.0 and in that MoU 2.0, we do a Fixed-term Parliaments Act, whereby the date of the election is set until the end of the term.

"And I am very confident that this will get support from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN), Pakatan Harapan (PH) and PH Plus. Those who disagree are only several from the court cluster only,” Sim taking, taking a swipe at BN leaders who are facing multiple court charges.

Earlier today, Parti Amanah Negara’s (Amanah) Kota Raja MP, Mohamad Sabu said that PH is ready to take to the streets if the Anti-Party Hopping Bill is not tabled and passed within this Parliament sitting.

In his debate speech, Mat Sabu said it was after the Sheraton Move, when the public started to lose their trust in the democratic process, which resulted in a decreasing number of voters with each passing state election.

Umno’s Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz who also stood up to debate the Bill supported Mohamad’s call, similarly indicating an urgency.

"We cannot jump around. It is embarrassing.

"I urge the government to please table the Bill, and if we need to amend it, it can be done later,” said Nazri.

Nazri however defended his party and coalition, saying that it was not their fault that the country is facing political instability.

He had in return thrown the blame back at PH, saying that it was the infighting within the Opposition coalition which caused the country’s political instability.

On Sunday, DAP’s Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng said the tabling of the Constitutional Amendment Bill for First Reading in Parliament needed clarification.

Lim said there seemed to be some confusion on the government’s intention to amend the Constitution and a statement made by Parliament and Law minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

Under the MoU, the government is required to hold prior discussions with the Opposition parties before making any amendments to the Constitution.

Lim said PH was unaware of the tabling of the amendment Bill and has sought for clarification regarding the contents of the amendment.