DPM: Equal funding can be negotiated, but govt won't stray from terms

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not rule out the possibility that the government might hold a fresh round of negotiations regarding the memorandum of understanding (MOU) related to allocations for opposition MPs.

However, he indicated that the government would not be budging on their terms.

“I followed the comments made by Perikatan Nasional leaders regarding the draft MOU on allocations that have been handed to them, and whether they agree or not is up to their leaders.

“The government has presented the draft. If they want to accept it, they should accept it unconditionally, or further details can be negotiated. If not, we will just forget about it.

“I’m sure there will be negotiations, but it won’t stray from the conditions set in the draft MOU,” Zahid (above) told reporters after officiating the MIC annual general meeting at IDCC Shah Alam today.

Earlier today, PN unanimously rejected two draft proposals for the MOU from the government regarding allocations for its MPs.

The MOU was between the government and PN as a party, and between the government and all PN MPs.

According to opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin, the unanimous decision to reject the MOU was based on four fundamental reasons, one of which was that it allegedly contradicted the Federal Constitution.

Commenting further, Zahid, who is also BN chairperson, said this MOU is different from the previous confidence and supply agreement (CSA) with former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“The previous CSA provided to the opposition during the ninth PM’s term was different because it required support to pass budget speeches and allocations.

“But this time, with the support of 153 MPs, a CSA is not needed. However, what Fadillah Yusof has done, as the chairperson of this committee, is something that has been drafted and handed over to the opposition, and it is up to them whether to agree with it or not,” he said.

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