KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said opposition party representatives must negotiate allocations for their MPs instead of having each MP separately negotiate funding for their constituencies.
He asked why the process has become so complicated, when he has repeatedly said the government will provide allocations by the processes of any democratic nation.
“The opposition … must appoint a representative to discuss (allocations) with Deputy Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof),” he said during Ministers’ Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat here today.
He said this in response to a supplementary question by Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar) about the allocation for opposition MPs, as the latter had consulted with Fadillah, but had to wait for the Cabinet and Anwar’s say-so.
Anwar said the process was the same as it was when Bera MP Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was Prime Minister, and the present government was the opposition.
“I don’t understand why this process has been made so difficult. Fix a date and start negotiating conditions as in any other democratic country,” he said.
He also said these discussions must be expedited.
“I call on Pendang to convey to all his party representatives to expedite discussion so this does not become the thing that hots up the House. No need to run or jog, just talk, and it’s done,” he said in response to a supplementary question by Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) about the matter.
Anwar said there are no conditions requiring opposition MPs to support him as Prime Minister in exchange for allocations.
— Bernama
