00:00An analyst said Hamza Zainuddin may find the anti-hopping law standing in his way
00:05as he seeks to draw more Bersatu MPs aligned with him into a proposed new political outfit.
00:11Expelled two weeks ago, the former Bersatu deputy president claims to command the support of 18
00:16MPs, comprising five sacked colleagues and 13 others who remain in the party.
00:21However, Shahza Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said,
00:25the 13 remaining Bersatu MPs are effectively constrained from joining Hamza's proposed
00:30new outfit by Article 49A of the federal constitution, commonly referred to as the anti-hopping law.
00:37The law states that any MP who resigns or ceases to be a member of a party,
00:42or joins another party after being elected, automatically loses their seat.
00:46However, no vacancy arises if the member is expelled.
00:50Shahza said those who have not been expelled cannot simply resign and join Hamza's new party
00:55without triggering by-elections, giving Muhyiddin leverage to contain them within Bersatu,
01:00even if their loyalties have shifted.
01:03As Mil Taip from University Science Malaysia said, forming a new party would be challenging,
01:07not only because of the anti-hopping law, but also due to Malaysia's electoral dynamics,
01:12which favoured two big coalitions, and would make competition for Malay votes stiffer.
01:17Meanwhile, University Technology Malaysia's Mazlan Ali said,
01:20Muhyiddin's position remains precarious, noting he only has the support of six MPs compared with Hamza's 18.
01:29Danesha Jareza, FMT
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