Any decision on Govt-PH MoU needs to be discussed formally, says Loke

KUALA LUMPUR - Any decision and issue regarding the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) needs to be formally discussed between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the coalition’s top leadership, said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

In a post on his Facebook account, Loke said the UMNO Supreme Council’s decision not to proceed with the MoU after July 31 was between the prime minister and his party.

"It must be stressed that the MoU is an understanding between PH and the federal government and not with UMNO leadership. Therefore, we are not bound by any decision made by the UMNO Supreme Council.

"There were also differences in opinions among the parties in the government bloc regarding the timeline of the MoU as reported by the media,” he said.

On April 14, UMNO secretary-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said that the party’s Supreme Council is not in favour of extending the MoU on Transformation and Political Stability, which expires on July 31.

The MoU signed by Ismail Sabri and PH leaders in September last year, among others, stated that the government agreed not to dissolve the Parliament before July 31, 2022.

Elaborating, Loke said for PH, the most important issue now was the government’s implementation of all commitments stated in the MoU, especially the formulation of the Anti-Party Hopping Act before the dissolution of the Parliament.

Meanwhile, Loke said during the recent DAP central executive committee retreat, the party leadership had already given orders for the party’s election machinery to be fully prepared by August.

"I’m confident that DAP and PH are ready to face any eventualities including the dissolution of the Parliament in early August,” he said. - BERNAMA