Opposition MPs won't lose status by signing CSA with PM

SHAH ALAM - Opposition and Independent MPs will not lose their status as representatives of the people if they sign the confidence and supply agreement (CSA) solely with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Dewan Negara Speaker Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said that the status of a Member of Parliament, especially from the Opposition, does not automatically expire merely by signing the CSA, expressing support for the Prime Minister, supporting government policies, or the presentation of the budget or laws by the government in the House of Representatives.

"Even if an opposition MP supports the government, including during the budget presentation and passing of laws, it does not mean that they automatically lose their status as a representative of the people, unless they resign, leave the party, or join another party.

"However, the status of a MP can be forfeited on their own if the constitution contains a clear clause stating that any of its members who make decisions contrary to the party's policy will automatically lose membership," he told Sinar.

Wan Junaidi said that Opposition and independent MPs are encouraged to sign the CSA to enable them to receive financial allocations, thus helping those in need and developing their respective constituencies.

He said this action is necessary because the 'temptation' or suggestion by the Prime Minister for the Opposition coalition to send representatives for discussions so that the government can allocate appropriate funding was rejected by the majority of Perikatan Nasional members (PN) in Parliament.

Wan Junaidi, who is also a former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law), said that the Opposition's refusal to engage in negotiations with the Prime Minister or government representatives not only harms themselves but also the people and voters.

For the record, the Anti-Party Hopping Act sets out three conditions that would cause a representative to lose their status as a Member of the House of Representatives, namely:

• If they defect from the party, either by becoming an Independent MP or joining another political party.
• If an MP has won a parliamentary seat but is expelled from the party, it is also considered party hopping.
• If an Independent MP joins any party, a by-election must be held, and the individual will lose their eligibility to contest for the new party within 60 days of being expelled (as a Member of Parliament) and will be announced by the House of Representatives in accordance with Article 1 of Article 54 of the Federal Constitution.

Opposition MPs can support PM openly

Wan Junaidi said that it is not wrong if an Opposition representative openly supports and signs the CSA, even if it goes against the party's position.

In fact, Wan Junaidi predicts that more opposition representatives will follow the lead of Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, who supports the Prime Minister with the hope that the government will allocate funding to assist voters in the respective areas.

He is also confident that the Opposition alliance will not dare take disciplinary action, such as expelling their MPs who openly express support for the Prime Minister, because it would harm the coalition.

"I don't know who else will follow in the footsteps of Iskandar to support the government, but there are many rumours from the outside indicating that more Opposition MPs will do the same.

"All Opposition leaders and the government should not be enemies just because they have different political ideologies.

"We should negotiate with the government because all Malaysians have the right to receive the appropriate funding," he said.

CSA can be signed individually, not just between PM and opposition party

Wan Junaidi also rejected the assumption of some that the CSA can only be implemented between the Prime Minister, the government, and the opposition party.

However, Wan Junaidi said that the real concept of the CSA is different and can be signed individually between MP, the Prime Minister, and the government, as practiced in other countries like England.

"The original concept is that any MP who supports government policies or programmes can act individually and independently from their party.

They will sign among themselves to support government policies with certain conditions.

In return, the government will also assist MPs, including in terms of providing allocations, and this can be arranged among the Members of Parliament themselves, not through party decisions," he said.