PAKATAN Harapan should seriously consider the seven offers for parliamentary transformation and governance reform made by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, analysts said.
 
They said that Pakatan should not be hasty in dismissing the offers from Ismail the way they had with Muhyiddin Yassin’s, whose overtures were made after he lost support from members of Parliament in the Dewan Rakyat.   
 
They said the deal in many ways outlined the reforms Pakatan had made in its manifesto and it would be a chance to realise some of the promises by working with Ismail.

However, some cautioned the offers were Ismail’s way of avoiding a confidence vote and secure the opposition vote to get the budget passed.
 
University Malaya professor Awang Azman Awang Pawi said it was the right time for Pakatan to assess the offers for the sake of the people.
 
He feels that Ismail’s offers are way different from the Bersatu president’s proposal made about a month ago.
 
“Muhyiddin had lost support and tried to approach the opposition when he could have done so during his 18 months’ tenure as the prime minister.
 
“Ismail, on the other hand, has the support and it took him less than a month to get to the opposition. Muhyiddin was not sincere. He did that to stay on as PM.
 
“PH should seriously look at the offers for the sake of the people. We need institutional reforms. At the same time, we need to reduce politicking so that the economy can be fixed. We can save lives and livelihood,” he said.
 
Echoing Awang Azman’s sentiment was Hisomuddin Bakar from Ilham Centre.
 
Hisomuddin said the offers from Ismail was similar to the Pakatan manifesto made before the general election.
 
“This is their chance to get the reforms implemented. There is nothing wrong for Pakatan to accept the offers. Such deals do not come easily.”
 
Hisomuddin added that should Pakatan decide to accept Ismail’s proposition, they just needed to justify to opposition supporters why they chose to back the former and not Muhyiddin.
 
Ismail on Friday put forth seven reform offers, which include limiting the tenure of the prime minister to 10 years and the tabling of an anti-party hopping bill.
 
He is also offering ministerial status to the opposition leader.
 
“The offers are intended to create a new political landscape with the transformation and reform of governance, especially in strengthening the role of the parliamentary institution,” he said in a statement.
 
Other offers include the implementation of Undi18 in the near future, with the tabling of a constitutional amendment.
 
Meanwhile, the Special Parliamentary Committees will include government and opposition MPs for checks-and-balances. 
 
As for legislative improvements, all bills including the supply bill will be tabled, discussed and mutually agreed upon in Parliament.
 
Opposition members will be included in the national recovery council and allowed to voice their views and proposals.
 
Anwar Ibrahim today welcomed the offer but said they should not end there. 
 
The PKR president said discussions were still underway between the opposition and the government to find common ground to address the Covid-19 crisis and safeguard lives from the threat of the disease and livelihoods from the threat of loss of businesses and jobs. 
 
“Therefore, among others, Pakatan Harapan also proposes an additional allocation of RM45 billion to immediately ease the burden of the people.
 
“PH priorities must be based on parliamentary reform, fiscal reform and pro-people programmes including a moratorium on bank loans for the M40 and B40, and the independence of the judiciary,” he said in a statement.
 
However, veteran political observer Sayuti Omar said that Ismail was just trying to save himself from being tested in Parliament, adding that he does not think Pakatan will accept the Bera MP’s proposal.
 
“He is trying to fish the opposition. All he wants is to save himself from the vote of confidence in Parliament.”
 
“It is the same as what Muhyiddin did the last time. But I think the opposition will either reject it or accept it with conditions. For instance, Pakatan may accept only if a vote of confidence is carried out,” he said.
 
Sayuti said he is sceptical with Ismail’s intentions after the government decided to name Muhyiddin as the chairman of the national recovery plan as well as nominating Najib Razak as his economic advisor.
 
For Tasmania University academic James Chin, Ismail only wants to secure victory during the budget vote and therefore wants the opposition to sign the confidence and supply agreement (CSA).
 
He agrees with Sayuti that Ismail is trying to avoid the confidence vote in the Dewan Rakyat.
 
“He wants to avoid the vote of confidence but now the vote is not the key issue. If he passes the confidence vote, the opposition can still get him on the budget.
 
“That is why he wants the CSA signed as soon as possible. It is just a game for him. He is not interested in working with the opposition.”
 
“He just wants to survive until the budget vote and prepare for the election,” he said. – September 11, 2021.