The political instability that has engulfed the nation since 2020 has been caused by the unprincipled acts of some MPs defecting from one political coalition to another. Party-hopping has raised scepticism about the relevance of the electoral process and questioned the belief that an MP represents his constituents. Most of us suspect that party-hopping is fuelled by money politics or selfish calculations of personal or political gain.
Where ethics fails to deter, the law must step in. Fortunately, a number of proposals are on the table and deserve careful analysis of their pros and cons. Although no perfect solution is possible, legislative intervention is long overdue.
