Not impossible for MoU to be extended, says PKR leader

Despite Umno pouring cold water on the possibility of extending the memorandum of understanding (MoU), a PKR leader says “it is not impossible” for the MoU to be extended.

(FMT) – Earlier today, the Umno Supreme Council decided that the MoU between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) will not be extended any further after it ends this July.

In response, PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil reminded Umno that the MoU is between PH and the federal government, not between PH and individual parties in the government.

Fahmi said there are currently four more items in the MoU that needed to be implemented by July 31, namely the anti-hopping law, the 10-year term for the prime minister, reinstating the Parliamentary Services Act, and amendments to Parliamentary Standing Orders.

“As we have seen with the anti-hopping bill, some of the parties in government requested for more time and the MoU Steering Committee navigated this issue.

“Should any of the four items remain incomplete by July 31, it may not be impossible for PH and the federal government to assess whether the MoU needs to be extended, to terminate the MoU, or to create an altogether new MoU,” he told FMT.

Meanwhile, Klang MP Charles Santiago hailed the MoU for helping to put in place the anti-hopping bill and the implementation of Undi18, among others.

“The MoU has given the country the space to move forward. You can see the success (from both sides of the aisle). This shows that politics is not dominated by fear and both sides are working together to push for legislation.

“We need to accept that there are positive elements to this but some Umno members do not want these successes,” he told FMT.

Meanwhile, Selayang MP William Leong said he was not surprised by Umno’s decision not to extend the MoU.

“They have been pushing for an early election. So, I don’t think it is a surprise that they do not want to extend (the MoU),” he told FMT.

Leong believes that Umno’s decision was only made to put more pressure on Ismail to dissolve Parliament and have an early election.

He added that although PH would prefer to have the next general election (GE15) at a later date, the coalition understands that as the opposition, it is the government’s call and they have to be ready whether they like it or not.