MPs from Perikatan Nasional (PN) must reach a consensus among themselves before entering into talks with the government on opposition allocations, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the government was open to discussions and had appointed deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof to negotiate with the opposition.
“But the opposition MPs must first come to an agreement among themselves. Right now, there isn’t one. Some want it, some agree to negotiate, and some refuse,” he said in response to Shahidan Kassim (PN-Arau), who had raised the matter.
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin (PN-Larut) however disagreed with Anwar‘s insistence that PN MPs first hold internal talks and said he was ready to meet Anwar directly.
Anwar maintained that Fadillah would handle talks on allocations, but said he was open to meeting Hamzah if broader national issues were involved.
“I am willing to meet. But when it comes to allocations, I have delegated the matter to the second deputy prime minister.
“If it’s about allocations, I leave it to him. If it’s about other national issues, I have no objection to (the) meeting,” he said.
The allocation of constituency funds to opposition MPs remains unresolved, with both sides yet to reach common ground.
Anwar has agreed in principle to provide equal allocations to opposition MPs, similar to those received by government MPs, but the details require negotiation and discussion.
PN previously rejected a draft memorandum of understanding from the government regarding allocations for its MPs.
Fadillah meanwhile said the government had agreed to establish a committee to discuss proposals on allocations for opposition MPs.
