CSA open to all opposition MPs, not just Bersatu, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is open to signing a confidence and supply agreement (CSA) with any opposition member of parliament, not just those from Bersatu, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

He said there were no conditions attached to the arrangement, following the signing of an agreement involving 13 MPs yesterday.

“We have no conditions on any opposition MP. We have no conditions,” he told reporters after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Al Muqarabbin here.

Anwar was responding to a question on whether the arrangement involving Bersatu MPs could be extended to opposition representatives from other parties.

Yesterday’s agreement involved six Bersatu MPs, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and six independent MPs who had previously declared their support for Anwar.

The six Bersatu MPs were Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh), Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (Putrajaya), Datuk Ali Biju (Saratok), Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (Langkawi), Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (Merbok) and Datuk Azman Nasrudin (Padang Serai).

The six independent MPs were Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Zahari Kechik (Jeli) and Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof signed the agreement on behalf of the government.

Under the CSA, the signatories agreed to support the government’s 2027 Budget and proposed institutional reforms, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms and separating the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

In return, they would receive constituency development allocations on par with those given to government MPs.

Anwar said the government was following the same principle adopted by the previous administration when parliamentary allocations were discussed with the then opposition.

He said the earlier arrangement involved a mutual understanding between Pakatan Harapan and the government led by Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, when Anwar was opposition leader.

“The principle is the same as what I did when I was opposition leader and the government at the time comprised Umno, Pas and Bersatu.

“When they proposed discussing allocations, that was what we did. So there is nothing unusual about this,” he said.

Anwar stressed that the government was not introducing new rules.

“This is open to anyone who wishes to agree, based on the approach they themselves adopted previously.

“These are not rules introduced by our government. They were used by the previous government, which included Bersatu, Pas and Barisan Nasional,” he said.

He added that allocations channelled through MPs would be subject to the agreed understanding.


Discover more from UM LEGACY PRESS LTD

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.