KUALA LUMPUR – Opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) is caught in a jam over approving Budget 2021 as concerns of a trust deficit among grassroots continue to build, sources familiar with matter tell The Vibes.
It is understood that some in the coalition are angling for a budget bill defeat while others are open to negotiating with embattled Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin for a conditional confidence and supply agreement.
On the discussion table are equal allocation to all parliamentary constituencies to help MPs combat Covid-19 and more prominent roles in parliamentary select committees to provide greater oversight to government business.
But the question looms as to whether PH will be able to move en bloc or a clear rift will emerge that threatens to split the coalition.
What has limited PH’s political manoeuvring, sources said, is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s admonition to politicians to stop politicking, instead to focus on mitigating Covid-19 and economic recovery.
The king’s statement came following a rebuff of Muhyiddin’s proposal to put the country in a state of emergency.
In terms of PH seat allocation in the Dewan Rakyat, DAP commands the largest share among component parties with 42 MPs followed by PKR (38) and Amanah (11), or a total of 91 seats.
The PH presidential council is expected to meet tomorrow at the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya with the coalition’s stand on Budget 2021 being among the main topics to be debated.
Dewan Rakyat will convene on November 2 with the Budget 2021 set to be tabled on November 6. – The Vibes, October 28, 2020
Reporting by Norman Goh and Emmanuel Samarathisa
