ALOR STAR: Perikatan Nasional members of parliament (MPs) from Kedah are leaving it to opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin to negotiate with Putrajaya on allocations for PN lawmakers.

Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail from Bersatu said he is banking on Hamzah's wisdom in negotiating the matter with the unity government's leadership.

"Of course we would welcome the allocations as it has been long overdue.

"It has been almost two years (since the conclusion of the 15th General Election).

"However, we are leaving it to the wisdom of the opposition leader to continue negotiating with the federal government," he said when contacted.

His sentiment was echoed by Kuala Kedah MP Dr Ahmad Fakhruddin Fakhrurazi.

"Our stand is clear, as PN MPs, we are leaving it to the opposition leader to discuss with the unity government," said Fakhruddin who is also Kedah Pas deputy commissioner but declined to elaborate.

Ku Rahman and Fakhruddin were responding to an announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof yesterday that the unity government secretariat's top leadership has decided in principle to consider allocating funds for opposition MPs.

Fadillah was reported as saying that the matter was decided in the secretariat's meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and attended by top leaders of the component parties of the unity government.

He said the secretariat has agreed to prepare a memorandum of understanding draft to be presented to the opposition for negotiation.

Prior to the meeting, it was reported that the secretariat had met with Hamzah, PN chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Bersatu vice-president Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee to discuss the matter.

Hamzah, in a statement yesterday, welcomed the unity government's decision to channel allocations to its MPs and state assemblymen.

The Bersatu secretary-general nonetheless, said PN would only make a decision on whether to accept the allocation after PN leaders scrutinised conditions to be imposed by the unity government.

In total, there are 74 lawmakers representing PN in parliament but six of them- all from Bersatu- have declared their support for Anwar.

They are Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan); Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang); Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang); Zahari Kechik (Jeli); Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang); and Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar).

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/1039952/pn-mps-leave-it-opposition-leader-negotiate-allocations-putrajaya