GOVERNMENT spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil has denied a Bersatu lawmaker’s claim that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had supplied opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin a draft agreement on constituency funds through a representative.
Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, said Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal should “keep his mouth shut” over the draft agreement on constituency refunds if he does not know anything.
“I’m not sure if the Machang MP had printed his own draft (of the agreement) as he had previously suggested that the government print money as a solution to economic issues,” he jested during a press conference at Parliament on Monday (March 25).
“But I have checked with the Prime Minister’s Office and the chief secretary to the government on the matter and they have confirmed that they had not submitted any drafts.
“I had also contacted several political secretaries (to government leaders) and they had (given the same answer).”
Fahmi suggested that perhaps Wan Fayhsal had felt “compelled to save the situation” after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had denied the existence of such a draft.
“If there was indeed a draft that was given by the prime minister’s representative, then why was it not brought forth (by the opposition) during their meeting with the deputy prime minister?
“I feel that if the Machang MP doesn’t know anything, he should just keep his mouth shut.”
Earlier today Wan Fayhsal had alleged that the issuance of the draft was kept under wraps from everyone including Fadillah who had denied that there was such a draft.
“What you don’t know is that PMX (Anwar) had already sent his representative to hand over the document to the opposition leader,” he said in a post on X.
“PMX doesn’t tell you everything. So, neither you nor the deputy prime minister would know (about it). It’s not fake news.”
Wan Fayhsal was responding to Sungai Petani MP Dr Taufiq Johari who previously criticised the opposition for issuing statements while negotiations on constituency funds were still ongoing.
“Before any agreement or detailed discussion has taken place, (the opposition) has started spreading false stories,” Taufiq, who further questioned if the opposition was in fact synonymous with those who peddle fake news.
Yesterday Fadillah, who is also the government’s chief whip, denied the existence of such a draft agreement on the allocation demands of opposition lawmakers with the government during his meeting with Hamzah on March 19.
He said the meeting with the Larut MP was merely a session to hear the opposition’s requests and offers and that there was “no discussion regarding any agreement”. – March 25, 2024
Main pic credit: Harian Metro
