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THE COALITION for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) expresses its utmost disappointment towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s failure to ensure the distribution of constituency development funds (CDFs) to various members of Parliament (MPs), especially opposition MPs.
Such failure has led to a few opposition MPs, including the MPs for Kuala Kangsar, Labuan, Gua Musang, and (most recently) Jeli, declaring their support for the PM’s leadership and the federal government on the ground of the need for funding allocations for their respective constituencies.
The Madani government’s withholding of CDF allocations from being distributed to Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs is unfair because the funds are given only to those who support the government.
Bersih disagrees that CDF allocations to opposition MPs be made conditionally when all MPs are entitled to such allocations whichever party they belong to. The opposition MPs are also chosen by the rakyat, hence the Madani government must respect the choice of the voters in the opposition MP’s constituency and refrain from using CDFs as bargaining chips to obtain support from opposition representatives.
The PN MPs’ statements of support for the federal government shows the tragic political reality that exists in Malaysia today – that those who support the government receive public funding, whereas those who do not support the government are refused such funding.
Bersih has always objected to such unfair distribution of CDFs whilst Pakatan Harapan (PH), under their GE15 manifesto, agreed to eliminate such malpractice, which started during the days of the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration and continued during the PN administration.
Bersih reiterates our call to the Madani government and PN to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in bringing about institutional reforms that ensure political stability and a level playing field for all parties, just like the MOU that was agreed between the Keluarga Malaysia government of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and PH on September 13, 2021.
Such an MOU will enable both the government and opposition to work together and compete professionally in overcoming national economic challenges and improving the rakyat’s well-being.
Besides the codification of laws for the equitable and fair distribution of CDFs to all MPs and state assembly representatives, the MOU may also list other items such as the public funding for all parties according to their respective percentage of votes received, the recognition of a shadow cabinet, the deepening of parliamentary reformation, the Fixed Term Parliament Act, as well as the separation of the office of the Public Prosecutor from the Attorney General's Chambers.
If both the Madani government and PN are reluctant to take the first step in moving negotiations for the MOU, both parties could request assistance from the honourable president of the Senate, Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who contributed to the implementation of institutional reforms in the 2021-2022 MOU, and also the honourable speaker of the Lower House, Tan Sri Johari Abdul, as honest brokers in facilitating negotiations for the sake of the rakyat. – The Vibes, November 8, 2023
Bersih is a non-governmental coalition campaigning for free and fair elections in Malaysia
