KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today reiterated that opposition members of parliament (MPs) must go through the proper process to receive equal allocations as given to government MPs.
He said negotiations must go through the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadhillah Yusof, similar to what was carried out during the administration of former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He also denied claims that there were direct negotiations occured between him and two of Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs, Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid and Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman.
"There were no direct negotiations with me or other cabinet members despite statements made by Kuala Kangsar (Iskandar Dzulkarnain) and Labuan (Suhaili) (for equal allocation).
"If you need further clarification (on the matter), ask both of them but I welcome them and their wisdom (to get equal allocation).
"Meanwhile, Fadhillah has been given the task alongside with the committee (to discuss the allocations), similar to what was done during Bera's (Ismail Sabri) administration when he was the prime minister," he said during the Finance Ministry's winding-up speech of the 2024 Supply Bill at the policy stage.
Anwar said this in response to a question posed by Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who enquired whether the government has outlined the next course of action after a negotiation is conducted.
Syed Saddiq also enquired on whether a media statement to declare support for the prime minister, as what was done by the two PN MPs, were required to receive equal allocations.
Anwar, at the same time, added that he would not budge and will remain firm in his decision that negotiations between government and opposition parties must take place.
"I will not budge from my stance and if you want to talk about being unfair (actual word used: zalim), does this mean that the previous government was unfair?
"It is unfair if we do it, but not when it comes to you. What kind of law is this? Is this Islamic law?
"I do not want to make the decision, proceed with discussions and negotiations. If it is reasonable, we will approve it."
In April, Anwar announced that the government was willing to offer the opposition equal allocations given to MPs in the government bloc, adding that the proposal must be submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
However, Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in May reportedly said the opposition would not beg for allocations and it was Putrajaya's responsibility to distribute the allocations directly to them.
Tuan Ibrahim said this was because a fair government should distribute allocations to opposition MPs directly without needing to submit proposals.
