PM: No more shouting in Parliament as govt working with Opposition, will engage them for Budget too

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Parliamentary proceedings have become calmer without shouting matches as the federal opposition is now working together with the federal government, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

Ismail Sabri was commenting on the political situation following his recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Transformation and Political Stability with Pakatan Harapan,  which forms the largest opposition bloc in the Dewan Rakyat.

He confirmed that the federal government had engaged with all quarters including the opposition in the drafting process for the 12^th Malaysia Plan, which was tabled in Parliament on Monday.

“The same as well for the Budget that will be tabled. Engagement sessions are done with all including the opposition,” he said in an interview broadcast on television tonight, indicating that similar engagement with the opposition would be done for the government’s annual budget.

“So, I would like to inform that with this agreement or understanding, we can see the calm that results. If we see in Parliament, debates are very professional, no longer like before,” he said.

“I’m satisfied if I see the situation is calm in Parliament, professional, without much disruptions, shoutings like before. The situation is calm. We respect each other,” he said when expressing satisfaction with the MOU so far.

He also said that the peace and calm in Parliament could also be seen outside of Parliament, adding that the MOU’s objective was to ensure that there would no longer be too much politicking and quarrels.

He said that this would then enable the government to fully focus on tackling the Covid-19 situation, recovering the country’s economy and making the 12^th Malaysia Plan a success.

He added that he is aiming for the leaders of all opposition parties to sign the MOU with the government to build the nation together, saying that talks are ongoing.

He said this bipartisan approach was new for Malaysia in terms of politics but said this has already been the practice in developed nations where the opposition and government work together after elections and that their rivalry is during elections.

Ismail Sabri said he had told the opposition that they are needed as checks and balance to the government, adding that politicking should stop as the government could take on good views from the opposition in developing the nation together.