KUALA LUMPUR – Perikatan Nasional (PN) wants to study the draft terms of the government’s memorandum of understanding (MoU) on constituency allocations for opposition lawmakers before deciding to accept the funds.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin welcomed the government’s decision to allocate funds to MPs across the divide, but said the bloc would reserve its decision until it had seen the draft.
“PN welcomes the government’s decision to allocate funds to opposition representatives.
“However, PN, as the opposition, will make a decision after examining the terms under the MoU draft being prepared by the government,” Hamzah, of Bersatu, said in a statement today.
Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof announced that the government would draft an MoU concerning funds for opposition MPs to support their constituencies, following a unanimous agreement.
He said the draft would be drawn up and extended to the opposition for further discussion.
The decision was reached at the unity government leadership council’s meeting held at Seri Perdana in Putrajaya yesterday, which was chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by the leaders of component parties in the government.
The meeting followed a discussion between Fadillah and Hamzah in Parliament on March 19.
Last year, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man reportedly said three PN lawmakers were appointed to negotiate with Fadillah.
They are Hamzah, who is also Larut MP, Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Putrajaya MP Datuk Radzi Jidin. – April 18, 2024