NOVEMBER 6 — It was historic.

Despite its official name “Memorandum of Understanding for Transformation and Political Stability”, it was in pith and substance a confidence and supply agreement (CSA) between the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the main opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) bloc led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The first of its kind agreement in the country, signed on September 13, 2021, was to “cool political temperatures and allow sharper focus to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and economic malaise”.

The agreement can be read here: https://www.parlimen.gov.my/images/webuser/bkk/mou.pdf

It was mutually agreed that the government would not propose the dissolution of Parliament before July 31, 2022, and that the government would do its best to fulfil each transformation proposal within the timeframe agreed by both sides.

PH would reciprocate by agreeing (a) to support or abstain in Parliament in the vote on Budget 2022 (to be unveiled on October 29, 2021), after mutual agreement on its content, and (b) to support or abstain in any government proposal or Bill, where failure for it to pass would be seen as a form of no-confidence vote on the government. The proposal or Bill would first have to be agreed by the government and PH.

Both sides agreed that the agreement would not prevent PH from playing its check-and-balance role.

Other than that, the government agreed to undertake to take a number of steps, one of which is parliamentary reform, involving:

•  tabling and approving a Parliament Service Bill to ensure Parliament as an independent institution;
•  strengthening of parliamentary select committees (PSC);
•  equal allocations for government and opposition MPs;
•  membership of PSC to be more balanced;
•  Parliament’s Standing Orders to be amended to ensure proceedings in the Dewan rakyat and Dewan Negara would be more organised and effective; and
•  office of the Opposition Leader to be given appropriate rights and facilities.

So, there must be equal allocations for government and opposition MPs, which must be carried out immediately, as was the case with other steps.

As such, can it be said that the agreement, in pith and substance a CSA, was Dajjal-like?

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.