Law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that the bill has to be deferred as the Cabinet had not agreed to table the bill, The Star reported.

The bill, according to him will be sent back for more study to be done on the definition of “party hopping”.

“Yes, it has been deferred,” he was quoted as saying by the daily.

However, Wan Junaidi said that the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on April 11 will go ahead with the tabling of a constitutional amendment to facilitate the tabling of the anti-hopping bill.

The bill was initially set to be tabled on March 24, the final day of the first session of the Dewan Rakyat sitting this year.

Earlier today, FMT reported that the Cabinet had asked for revisions to the anti-hopping bill, according to well-placed sources. The sources told FMT that the government is ironing out several issues, including what constitutes party hopping.

“This includes whether an elected representative who won as an independent would be party hopping if he or she joins a political party or, if an MP joins another party after being sacked by his or her party.”

A minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government had no plans to abandon the bill. He added that the amendment of Clause 10 of the Federal Constitution to enable the government to introduce the anti-hopping bill must be done first.

“We are all for it. People are so engrossed with the anti-hopping bill they have forgotten that we should start with the amendment to the Federal Constitution first.

“Once approved then we can introduce the anti-hopping bill.”

According to sources, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will be chairing a meeting about the bill this Sunday, with all MPs and senators invited.