KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob should return the favour to the opposition, for not taking part in efforts to topple his administration, by providing equal funding to all MPs.
Making this call, Amanah strategic director Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the prime minister should see this as a reasonable reciprocal response to the affirmation given by the opposition to ensure stability.
Equal allocation for lawmakers across the divide should be included in any confidence and supply agreement (CSA) between parties from both benches, the former health minister told a forum on political funding last night.
“Pakatan Harapan is committed to ensuring that any question of political upheaval is stopped. We are ready to do that. This is our sacrifice to bring down the political temperature and ensure political stability.
“I think we don’t need to convince the prime minister (to give equal funding). We should know that this is an appropriate thing to do, after the sacrifice we made.
“PH, specifically, will not cause any trouble. Based on that commitment, I feel it is only wise for the prime minister to respond in kind by giving us the allocation as part of the CSA.”
His comments were made during the Political Funding Act: Importance and Challenges forum organised by the Young MPs Caucus, the Dewan Rakyat speaker’s office, and the Institute for Leadership and Development Studies. The other panellists included Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
Dr Dzulkefly stressed that the equal funding pushed by the opposition is necessary as part of the government’s reform process.
In a statement yesterday, Ismail Sabri, who is also Umno vice-president, announced the cabinet’s decision to implement a slew of reforms, including according greater recognition to the opposition.
Among the said reforms are ensuring the balanced representation of government and opposition MPs in parliamentary special select committees, ensuring opposition involvement in discussions on all government bills, and giving ministerial remunerations and benefits to the opposition leader.
However, the cabinet did not include equal funding for opposition lawmakers, or any commitment for a political funding act to be introduced.
Dr Dzulkefly said while he agrees that states, including those held by PH, should provide equal allocation to all assemblymen, the federal government must play a leading role.
“Whether you are an MP or assemblyman, funding should be given fairly to all elected representatives, who are voted in by the people. But I’m a bit more pragmatic, and I think we must put this in context.
“If the federal government sidelines (opposition MPs), and states are forced to give equal funding, I believe there is no equitability or the law of natural justice.
“Of course, in principle, we agree (that states must be fair to all assemblymen), but we also want the federal government to take the same approach.” – The Vibes, September 11, 2021
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