With reference to the recent Keadilan-DAP spat over party hoppers, it is an individual's right which party he or she would like to join. Should someone discover that the party of which he or she is a member no longer subscribes to his or her principles or ideology, then he or she has the right to quit and join a party that does.

But at the same time, a party has the right to accept or reject any membership application.

And if the party has associated with other parties to form a front, then it will have to view this matter differently so as to not jeopardise the bond in the front.

This issue has to be weighed carefully because otherwise, some unscrupulous individuals who, deprived of a position in their party and seeing an opportunity elsewhere, will take advantage of the lax rules and quit to jump on board another party. And who knows where such individuals will stop at?

I suggest that there should be an agreement between the component parties on this matter: If the ex-member of Party A were to be accepted to Party B, no position should be offered to him or her, who is also barred from at least a coming election. That way the member can climb up the rungs the hard way rather than the easy way of party-hopping.