KUCHING: Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof reiterates that the government will establish a committee to discuss proposals on allocation for opposition MPs once the opposition submits its counterproposal.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the opposition had previously rejected the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the allocations for MPs.
“Therefore, the committee will be formed once they have provided a counterproposal.
“If we recall, we gave them a MoU, but they rejected it. If they have rejected it, what is there to negotiate? What is the need to form a committee?” he asked.
He said this to reporters when met at the Aidilfitri Contribution Presentation Ceremony for Asnaf, organised by the Muslim Welfare Trust Board of Kampung Gita Matang at At-Taqwa Mosque, Kampung Pinang Jawa on Monday (Mar 24).
Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP, noted that the government had recently received a letter from Perikatan Nasional (PN) secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, expressing willingness to engage in discussions.
“So, we will respond to the letter. However, I will only provide a reply after meeting with representatives from each party and component within the ruling coalition,” he said.
When asked about the status of the committee, Fadillah said that it has not yet been formed, as the government must first respond to the opposition’s letter.
In a separate development, Fadillah also commented on the status of allocations for Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is currently appealing his court conviction.
“It depends on the court’s decision.
“If it is dismissed or his conviction is upheld, then his position as Member of Parliament (MP) will be revoked,” he said.
He also clarified that, as long as the court has not made a final ruling, Syed Saddiq remains an MP.
