THE Umno Supreme Council’s decision for the government not to extend the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pakatan Harapan (PH) has no bearing on the opposition, Anthony Loke said.

“This is a matter between Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Umno,” the DAP secretary-general said in a statement today.

“It must be stressed that Pakatan Harapan’s MOU is with the federal government, and not Umno. Hence, Pakatan is not tied to Umno’s decision not to extend the MOU.”

He said any decision about the MOU should be done between Ismail, as a representative of the government, and PH’s top leadership. 

“For Pakatan, the most important issue is the government’s commitment to enact anti-party hopping laws before Parliament is dissolved,” he said.

As for DAP, Loke said, the party machinery has been instructed to be prepared for the general election by August. 

On Thursday, the Umno Supreme Council urged the government not to extend the political MOU with PH when it expires on July 31.

In the same statement, Umno said its Supreme Council has nominated Ismail to be its candidate for prime minister in the 15th general election.

Yesterday, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin said he will seek clarification from the prime minister on the status of the MOU, following the Umno announcement.

He said Ismail and Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders mentioned the agreement during a meeting last week and they agreed that no discussion was required on whether it should be extended.

However, he said, “there seems to be a slightly different decision today”. 

“We will seek an explanation on whether he (Ismail) wants to end it or extend it,” he told reporters at an event yesterday. – April 16, 2022.