According to a Borneo Post report, Karim said the Elections Act was a federal law which meant that Sarawak only needed to wait for Parliament’s anti-hopping bill to be gazetted for it to be enforced.

The Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice-president hailed the passing of the anti-hopping bill yesterday and how it was approved unanimously by MPs.

“If any individual plans on contesting for a party, they should opt to remain with that party rather than jump ship as that should not be the way.

“That is a betrayal of the trust given by the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Melaka chief minister Sulaiman Md Ali said the Barisan Nasional state government was ready to amend its state enactments to implement a similar anti-hopping law.

He said the implementation of an anti-hopping enactment in the state was among the key points of BN’s manifesto for the Melaka election in November.

Yesterday, 209 MPs voted in favour of the anti-hopping bill in the Dewan Rakyat. Eleven MPs were absent during the bloc vote for the constitutional amendment.

The bill will be tabled in the Dewan Negara on Aug 9. After it is passed in the Senate, it will be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for his assent before  it is gazetted.