'There is no answer to the RM30 million request yet'- Bukit Gantang MP
SHAH ALAM - Bukit Gantang Member of Parliament Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal is determined to support the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim even though he has not yet been given an RM30 million allocation, he had requested for an area development.
The representative from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) said that so far his request has not yet receive any responses from the unity government.
He said that his decision to declare support for the unity government was made without being coerced to sign any legal documents.
Syed, who is also the former Chairman of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) said he came to the decision for the benefit of his constituents and for a more stable political future for the country.
"I have been thinking about it (declaring support for the Unity Government) for a long time.
"Despite not being promised anything, I am determined to support Anwar because I want to pave the way for the opposition bloc to renegotiate more seriously with the government (regarding the allocation of parliamentary constituency development).
"(Regarding the RM30 million allocation claim) There is no answer yet. There is no final word yet but I really hope that Tambun (Anwar), Bera (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) and Pagoh (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) will work together to solve people's issues, and the issue of allocation for members of Parliament," he told Sinar Premium on Tuesday.
He said this when commenting on his decision to announce his support for Anwar during the Prime Minister's Question Time (PMQT) session in Parliament.
Syed is the fifth opposition MP from Bersatu to express support for the Prime Minister's leadership after Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) and Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
Earlier, Syed had said that he was ready to support the unity government if the RM30 million allocation application under Budget 2024 to his parliamentary constituency was approved.
He stated this when debating the 2024 Supply Bill (RUU) at the committee level for the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) in parliameny on Nov 9.
Syed then questioned the attitude of a handful of Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders jwho failed to give concrete reasons behind the coalition's failure to reach an agreement in negotiations with the government.
He said, a large number of PN MPs are still confused and wonder what kind of strict conditions the unity government has placed on the opposition even though the negotiation process to obtain the development allocation for elected representatives has been going on for a year.
"Most of us still don't know what kind of strict conditions the government has imposed that the negotiation process cannot continue.
"If the negotiation process is stalled with reasons that the Unity Government will be taken over later, this matter should have been mentioned and until now there is still no indication.
"I think enough talk about topplingthe government. When we become the opposition, we have to play the role of the opposition. Prioritise the people's problems," he said.
When asked about the reaction of the leadership of Bersatu and PN regarding his stance, Syed admitted that many of them did not agree with his actions of publicly declaring support for the unity government.
However, he explained that he had already discussed his wishes with some of Bersatu's leaders before.
"I had informed them that I would make a sudden decision publicly today (Tuesday).
"So far there have been four members of PN representatives who have made decisions behind closed doors and secretly. I chose to declare support openly because I want the government and opposition blocs to return to the negotiating table to sign a memorandum of understanding as was the case during Ismail Sabri's administration as Prime Minister.
"I am also ready to accept any form of disciplinary action from the party," he said.
