[UPDATED] MoU with govt, not Umno: Pakatan

KUALA LUMPUR – The memorandum of understanding (MoU) is between the government and opposition bloc Pakatan Harapan (PH), not with Umno’s top brass, said DAP after the Malay-based party announced that the agreement’s expiry date stands.

DAP’s newly minted secretary-general Anthony Loke said any decision and issue on the MoU must be discussed between the prime minister on behalf of the ruling parties and PH leadership.

“PH is not tied to decisions made by the Umno Supreme Council. The council’s decision to not extend the MoU beyond July 31 is between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his party.

“For PH, the most important is the implementation of all the government’s commitments outlined in the MoU, especially the enactment of an anti-party hopping law before Parliament is dissolved,” he said in a statement.

He added that DAP and PH are ready to face any possibilities, including the dissolution of Parliament early August.

This week, Loke instructed the DAP election machinery to be ready by August for a general election.

PH components – PKR and Amanah – also slammed Umno’s announcement over the MoU, with PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night saying the agreement should not be used by the government to sidestep issues surrounding mega national projects.

In two videos posted on his Facebook page, he said the MoU is not an excuse for the government to keep secret project details as it concerns public funds.

He also rallied his party members to be prepared to face the general election, and not be swayed by “theories” by certain quarters, but to put the people’s needs first.

Meanwhile, Amanah communication director Khalid Samad said in a statement last night that the MoU is not between PH and Umno, and the decision to end it lies with the prime minister.

“It is most unfortunate that Umno is more interested in playing politics to seize power, proving that the party is the real mastermind behind the two-year political instability.”

He also said Umno picking Ismail Sabri as its prime ministerial candidate brings to mind what happened after the Johor election where Umno chose Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad as menteri besar but was replaced with Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

“Is this Umno’s trick to push Ismail Sabri to expedite the dissolution of Parliament? To make way for Umno to appoint a new prime minister who is more likely to save Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dan Datuk Seri Najib Razak?”

Zahid and Najib are often referred to as being a part of Umno’s “court cluster” due to their ongoing trials related to allegations of corruption, money laundering and abuse of power.

While there has not been any confirmation on the polling date, Ismail Sabri’s party Umno has been pushing for an early election.

The political memorandum of understanding between PH and the government also agreed that a general election can be called after July 31.

During Umno’s buka puasa event on Thursday, secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan handed out a statement saying that the MoU would no longer continue after its July 31 expiration date.

However, he said the tabling of the anti-hopping law must be continued and supported without compromising with any party that wants to see it fail by changing its details.

This also triggered responses from former Umno allies Bersatu and PAS, with Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin slamming Umno’s decision.

The former prime minister said the MoU was mentioned in a meeting between the leaders of Perikatan Nasional and Ismail Sabri last week and it was agreed that no discussions were required at that time on whether it should be extended.

Meanwhile, PAS secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan called for the continuation of the MoU until the dissolution of Parliament. – The Vibes, April 16, 2022