Unity government accepts opposition’s decision

KUCHING: The opposition parties have yet to engage with the unity government about their rejection of the government’s draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on Members of Parliament (MPs) allocations, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He mentioned that, so far, the opposition’s rejection has only been conveyed through statements to the media.

“As of now, no (the opposition parties have not contacted the unity government) … There are statements saying they reject it. So, we respect their decision,” he said.

He said this when met by reporters after officiating at the opening of Social Security Management International Conference 2024 (SSMiC 2024) at Riverside Majestic Hotel here on Thursday.

When asked whether the government would present a new draft, Fadillah said that the existing draft is sufficient as a basis for discussion.

“The draft that already exists is the basis for us to discuss. They have to present their feedback, but they have made a statement.

“They rejected it. So, when they reject it, we accept that rejection,” Fadillah said.

Earlier, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin disclosed that Perikatan Nasional (PN) had unanimously rejected two government-drafted MoUs concerning MP allocations.

He highlighted concerns that the MoUs could threaten the constitutional rights of Malays and Bumiputeras, prompting the rejection.