KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 3): The government did not disclose the allocation amount for opposition members of Parliament in the draft memorandum of understanding (MOU), because the bloc concerned had not agreed with the terms of the agreement.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said if the opposition did not agree with any of the terms in the MOU, they should have expressed it through the right channel, namely consultation, rather than through the media.

He said that until now, the government had not received a response from the opposition regarding the draft MOU.

"As the terms have not been agreed upon, what we want to discuss, [namely] the amount, rightfully cannot go to the media. Just respond to the [government] draft, and then we will discuss it, and when we agree and finalise it, we will show it to the media," he said.

Fadillah, who is also the secretary general of the unity government secretariat, said this after attending the Malaysian Law Students Legal Aid Convention 2024 here on Tuesday.

On Monday, Perikatan Nasional chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan reportedly said that the government had set seven conditions for the opposition, including support for the government until the end of the 15th Parliament term, to enable them to receive the allocation.

Takiyuddin also claimed that no allocation amount was placed in the draft MOU.

Fadillah said the conditions set for supporting the government are to ensure political stability in the country, thus sending a message to the world to attract more investors.

"What we are saying is that we don't want to talk about bringing down the government and so on. The main reason is stability for our country.

"Let's not talk about wanting to topple the government, or just stop talking about it, because the government now has two-thirds support, and it was proven in Parliament," Fadillah said.

On July 9, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the allocation for opposition MPs should not be a complicated issue to resolve.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/node/725359