Malaysia: the "frog MPs", these political weathervanes that arouse anger
The Malaysian Parliament here during the presentation of the 2022 budget, October 29, 2021. © AP - Famer Roheni
Text by: Gabrielle Maréchaux Follow
2 mins
In Malaysia, the often eventful parliamentary life of the country, with many games of alliances and betrayals, causes more and more anger and weariness in the population.
Demands are now being heard to fight against what are nicknamed “
frog
” deputies.
Advertisement
Read more
From our correspondent in Kuala Lumpur,
The “frog deputies” are elected representatives reputed to be able to change political parties like shirts.
And in recent years, this practice has caused a rather grotesque situation.
To understand how, you must first know that in Malaysia the Prime Minister, head of government, is always the leader of the parliamentary majority.
►Also read: Malaysia: the rise without elections of Prime Minister Ismail Sabri raises many questions
In 2018, for the first time, it was held by the opposition after elections in which UMNO, the party that has reigned over Malaysia since Independence, lost, entangled in a gigantic corruption scandal.
But two years later, 40 “frog deputies” turned everything upside down by leaving the new ruling coalition to join forces with UMNO, which thus came to power again, without new elections.
A complaint against the Minister of Commerce
In all this political hustle and bustle, one MP in particular has focused voters' anger.
This is Azmin Ali, now Minister of Commerce.
His change of party may have been particularly surprising, because he is a founding member of the historical opposition party in Malaysia and because he seems to have played a key role in this change of parliamentary majority.
For all these reasons, some of his constituents have decided to file a complaint against him.
The only problem is that changing parties is absolutely not illegal in Malaysia.
The voters' lawyer, Yohendra Nadarajan, therefore chose to use a very specific charge: "
In this case, we are filing a complaint against this particular MP for 'deception', because this MP campaigned in assuring that he would never ally himself with the outgoing government whose corruption he condemned and all that allowed him a resounding victory.
So these voters today feel betrayed
.”
Bill against the change of political camp
Such a complaint is totally unprecedented in Malaysia and it raises many questions.
Will the plaintiffs have to prove that they voted for this MP?
What is the legal value of promises made at political rallies?
This court case echoes a bill that could ban party switching in parliament.
It would be a way to guarantee more stability, but also confidence before the next elections which will take place this year or next year.
Such a bill was to be discussed in April in parliament before being rejected.
It would require amending the Constitution which guarantees freedom of association.
Finally, it is not unanimous among parliamentarians.
This week, the Malaysian press headlined, for example: "
Such a law is not necessary, assures a" frog deputy "
".
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Malaysia