THE recent move by four Bersatu MPs to declare their support for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his unity government comes as a result of the Perikatan Nasional leadership’s weakness, said an Amanah Youth leader.
The party’s youth wing vice president Ammar Atan said the move also indicated that the four MPs had lost their faith in the leadership of party president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The four MPs in question are Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Mohd Aziz Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Zahari Kechik (Jeli).
“I won’t be surprised if more Bersatu MPs declare their support for the prime minister in the coming days,” Ammar said in a statement today (Nov 9).
“For the first time in Malaysian history, the ruling government is open [to the idea of] opposition MPs negotiating for funds which is unlike when Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was in power where there was no such thing.”
Ammar further called for all opposition MPs to pressure the Perikatan Nasional (PN) leadership, specifically opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, to hold talks with government representatives to negotiate for allocations for their respective constituencies.
“Had the talks happened earlier this year, the entire fiasco within the PN coalition would not have happened because the Anwar-led unity government was open to discussions [about allocations for opposition MPs],” he remarked.
“Enough with the politicking. You should look into the mirror and ask yourself why you’re too arrogant and prideful to discuss [this allocation issue with the government].
“Are you worried about losing your dignity, or do you deliberately want to create the perception that the government a tyrant?”
Ammar also said it was perhaps time for PN MPs to consider replacing the opposition leader, whom he described as “busy playing politics” without stopping to consider the interest of other PN parliamentarians.
“I nominate Ketereh MP Khlir Mohd Nor, who has been very clear on this issue,” he said.
Last Friday (Nov 3) PN chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the coalition is firm in its stance not to proceed with discussions with the unity government over equal distribution of parliamentary allocation.
Takiyuddin told reporters at the PN headquarters in Kuala Lumpur that he had met with Deputy Prime Minister 2 Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof who is authorised by Anwar to discuss the allocation.
However, Takiyuddin said what was requested by Fadillah is for the opposition to write a letter to them, providing certain assurances, which he said was something that have never been imposed before.
He also questioned the need for a formal request, which seemed unnecessary and implied a lack of commitment.
He said PN will not be submitting any formal request to the government for parliamentary allocation as it is a promise that had been outlined in the unity government’s manifesto which guaranteed equal allocation. – Nov 9, 2023
Main pic credit: Berita Harian