KOTA KINABALU – A Warisan leader has panned DAP’s assertion that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition signed last year has made it possible for the anti-hopping bill to be passed in Parliament.
Warisan Youth chief Datuk Azis Jamman pointed out that Parliament had unanimously passed Article 119A – Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2022 on March 24, stressing that the opposition’s support for it was not done on the basis of an MoU.
The amendment to the federal constitution, passed unanimously through a bloc vote in the Dewan Rakyat, allows members of royal families and those serving as Yang di-Pertuan Negeri (TYT) to be excluded from the electoral roll through automatic registration.
“Sabah DAP should refer to its leaders in Kuala Lumpur before trying to cheat Sabahans and Malaysians,” Azis, who is MP for Sepanggar, said in a statement yesterday.
Azis was responding to remarks by Sabah DAP chairman Datuk Frankie Poon Ming Fung, who had claimed yesterday that DAP signed the MoU for the people, and that it had made the tabling of the anti-hopping law possible.
Azis stressed that other than Article 119A, all bills passed in Parliament since 1957 have not needed any MoU.
“The passing of Article 119A proved that PH can still support the anti-hopping bill without the need to sign any MoU.
“Does DAP think the people are so gullible to believe that all this while bills could be passed without any MOU, but yet when it is the anti-hopping bill an MoU is suddenly required?”
“I am a member of Parliament privy to this public information. Maybe Frankie (Poon), who is not an MP, should refer to the DAP MPs in Kuala Lumpur before being their mouthpiece,” he said.
Elaborating on Warisan’s stand on the anti-hopping law, Aziz said that PH should emulate Warisan’s firm and principled stand.
“Will Warisan support the anti-hopping law which is for the benefit of the people? The simple answer is yes, and Warisan does not need any MoU to support the anti-hopping law.
“Just table it and you will see that Warisan is consistent. Warisan has supported bills that are fair for the people, like the amendment to restore Sabah’s status in the federation of Malaysia.
“Warisan has also objected to bills that are unfair for the people, like Sosma (Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012) and Budget 2022. We stood by the people and defended the people without compromising our principles or signing any MoU,” he said.
Azis, who is former deputy home minister, alleged that none of the much-trumpeted benefits of the MoU have seen the light of day, while PH has been given access to hundreds of millions of ringgit after the MoU was signed.
“DAP told the public the MoU has many benefits. But is it true? Has BN become weaker? No. Has the political situation become stable? No. Has Covid-19 cases been better managed? No. Has any of the reforms been implemented? No. Has the anti-hopping law been tabled? No.
“But has PH taken any money and allocation? Yes. PH has access to approximately RM166.7 million in direct grants and RM178 million in project funds after signing the MoU,” he said.
Azis also questioned why DAP pushed for a Sabah (state-level) MoU with the ruling Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) alliance and its lead party Bersatu.
“At the federal level, DAP says the MoU with Umno is for the anti-hopping law. So, at the state-level, DAP’s MoU with Bersatu is for what? Also for the federal-level anti-hopping law? Or is it for the funding?” he asked.
“Instead of continuing with the lies, maybe DAP and PH should apologise to its believers and supporters. DAP and PH should also explain how the hundreds of millions were spent after the MoU was signed,” he added.
Azis’s statement on the matter is the second retort from Warisan recently. It started with DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke claiming that DAP had helped Warisan to form the Sabah government in 2018, to which Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong responded by accusing DAP of betraying the people by signing the MoU.
Poon responded to Wong on Friday, and the statement above was Azis’s response to Poon.
If this continues, DAP and Warisan could possibly close their doors to collaborating with one another for good in the coming general election. – The Vibes, April 3, 2022
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