6 September 2021

Press statement by MCA Secretary-General and MCA Bill Committee Chairperson Datuk Chong Sin Woon

MCA Bill Committee proposes to introduce House Of Representatives Recall (HORR) Bill

The commitment to democracy is one of the founding principles for MCA. As lawmakers, we hold the responsibility to chart the course of the nation, to build a Malaysia that every citizen can be proud of. With that goal in mind, MCA has formed a Bill Committee to constructively contribute ideas and draft bills with the aim of addressing some common problems in Malaysian laws.

Since last year, the Bill Committee has been working on a Bill for a House of Representatives Recall (HORR) Act which, if passed by the Dewan Rakyat, will become an Act of Parliament that targets members of parliament who have committed misdemeanour(s), or switch parties.

This means that if an MP switches parties, or commits misdemeanour(s) that do not amount to disqualification of office under Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution, the Act empowers the electorate to decide whether to recall the MP. Similar laws already exist within the legislation of other countries or regions, including the United Kingdom and Taiwan.

In the volatile political environment of Malaysia, a number of MPs had acted without regard to their electorate’s sentiments, in view of the fact there is nothing the electorate can do against them until the next general election. Thus, we believe that the introduction of this Bill will make MPs more accountable for their actions, lest they risk being recalled. Ultimately, we believe this is a step towards a more democratic society.

This is a work in progress; the committee will continue to study how this system may be potentially abused in order to circumvent unseen problems.

Also on the Bill Committee’s agenda, there are ongoing studies on contentious issues such as suicide decriminalisation (pioneered by Pakatan Harapan), as well as reforming the AUKU 1971 and the National Land Code, among others. MCA has always been a party of service, and the success of this bill relies on the support of like-minded lawmakers who wish for a better, fairer Malaysia.

Datuk Chong Sin Woon
MCA Secretary General
MCA Bill Committee Chairperson

-MCA Online-