Harapan inclined to accept PM's olive branch to 'save the people'

 

Pakatan Harapan says it is inclined to accept a memorandum of understanding offered by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in the name of public interest.

"Harapan is inclined to accept the memorandum of understanding to save the lives and livelihoods of the people, subject to improvements to the draft which needs to be refined by both sides before it is finalised.

"Let us harness all our strength to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, and to overcome economic decline that has hit our country," the coalition's presidential council said in a statement tonight.

The statement was jointly signed by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu, and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, Amanah president Mohamad Sabu

Ismail Sabri had said that the cabinet in a meeting yesterday agreed to undertake seven institutional reforms:

• Table an anti-party hopping law in Parliament.
• Amend the Federal Constitution to expedite the implementation of the lowered voting age from 21 years old to 18.
• Amend the Constitution to limit the prime minister’s term in office to 10 years.
• Ensure equal representation between opposition MPs and government backbenchers in parliamentary special select committees.
• All draft legislation including the budget bill will be discussed and agreed upon first, before being tabled in Parliament.
• Opposition politicians will be involved in the National Recovery Council to provide input and suggestions for improvement.
• The opposition leader will be given the salary and amenities equivalent to a minister.

The Harapan leaders said their decision also follows their initial meeting with Ismail Sabri on Aug 25, as well as another meeting yesterday with cabinet members Hamzah Zainudin, Takiyuddin Hassan, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Annuar Musa and Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

Others from Harapan present during the meeting were PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil, DAP deputy chairperson Gobind Singh Deo, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke and Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub.

"Yesterday's meeting discussed a number of principle matters and specific programmes with an emphasis on needed reforms in both the economy and public health sector to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Aside from that, the issue of parliamentary proceedings, legitimacy and matters of improvements to government administration were also discussed," the presidential council further said.

Ahead of the upcoming Budget 2022, the leaders said there needs to be an additional injection of RM45 billion to the RM65 billion Covid-19 fund that is currently left with RM8.9 billion.

They said the presidential council also discussed political reforms that must be incorporated into the memorandum, as well as mechanisms to monitor implementation of the seven areas of reforms. - Mkini