In a Facebook post, Zahid said Zuraida’s decision made it seem like elected representatives could switch parties according to their whims and fancies.

He maintained that party hopping disappointed Malaysians and there seemed to be no way to control elected representatives who were “free to do anything”.

Zahid said there were many other MPs who were more loyal to their parties who should be considered to fill the ministerial post held by Zuraida.

If an anti-hopping law was not enacted, he said, there would be a lack of confidence in the democratic system and political institutions, resulting in a low voter turnout at the next general election.

“The prime minister needs to take this matter seriously and should no longer compromise on those who switch parties,” the Bagan Datuk MP said.

Zuraida announced this morning that she had quit Muhyiddin Yassin’s Bersatu to join the newly formed PBM, adding that she will be meeting Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob soon to discuss her resignation from the Cabinet.

The plantation industries and commodities minister had joined Bersatu after being sacked from PKR in the wake of the Sheraton Move in 2020.