PETALING JAYA: A list of the 11 MPs who were absent from Parliament on Thursday (July 28) that saw the passing of the anti-party hopping Bill, has been released by PKR’s Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, in a Facebook post, said it was believed that among those not present were Lahad Datu MP Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi, Tambun MP Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu, Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, Bukit Gantang MP Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal, Kuala Pilah MP Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith and Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol.

Others who were absent were Simpang Renggam MP Dr Maszlee Malik who was in Dublin, Germany; Tapah MP Datuk Seri M. Saravanan who was in Indonesia; Tumpat MP Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi who was in Mecca; while Bentong MP Wong Tuck and Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming were both down with Covid-19.

The anti-hopping Bill was passed in Parliament after it was voted in support by 209 MPs while 11 MPs were absent.

The Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2022 was tabled for the first reading during a special one-day Dewan Rakyat sitting on April 11.

However, the Bill was referred to a Special Parliamentary Select Committee (SPSC) for further scrutiny before being brought to the House again.

On Wednesday (July 27), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob tabled the Bill for the second reading.

There were two days of debates, which was participated by 54 MPs, before the Bill was finally passed.

The amendment comprises four paragraphs and six clauses.

Among them is a clause that MPs who defect from the political party they represented as election candidates or those who became independent will have to vacate their parliamentary seats.

However, there are exemptions for MPs who change political parties when their former parties have been deregistered, or if they are appointed to become Speakers of the House.

MPs who are sacked from political parties will not lose their seats. Also not affected by the law are MPs who vote against their party’s wishes