THE Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council is inclined in principle to accept Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s memorandum of understanding for the sake of the people’s lives and livelihood.

In a statement, the council said this decision comes after a meeting with government representatives yesterday to discuss a memorandum of understanding between Pakatan and the government.

“This is, however, contingent on the improvements to the memorandum of understanding and further refinement by representatives of both parties before they can be finalised.

“Let us join forces and work together to handle the epidemic and the economic crisis that the country is facing,” it said in a statement after the meeting.

The PH council said the meeting of both sides came after the initial meeting with Ismail Sabri on August 25.

PH said the meeting with the government yesterday was attended by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, Amanah deputy president Salahuddin Ayub, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke, DAP deputy national chairman Gobind Singh Deo, PKR information chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin and PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil.

The government was represented by Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin,  Minister of Environment and Water Takiyuddin Hassan, de facto law minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa and Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.

“In the meeting yesterday, a number of policy and special programmes focusing on economic and health reform to overcome the epidemic was discussed.

“The parliamentary sitting, issues of legitimacy and reforms to governance, were discussed.”

Besides the seven offers offered by Ismail yesterday, Pakatan is asking for a RM45 billion injection to the Covid-19 fund to manage the epidemic and to give cash aid to the people.

Interest payment on loan moratoriums for the B40 and M40 groups should also be waived, it added.

On Friday, Ismail offered the opposition parliamentary transformation and governance reform, which included limiting the tenure of the prime minister to 10 years and the tabling of an anti-party hopping bill.

He is also offering to give ministerial status to the opposition leader.

He also offered equal representation between opposition MPs and government backbenchers in parliamentary special select committees.

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. – September 11, 2021.