PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said he would abide by the Umno Supreme Council decision not to extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Transformation and Political Stability inked between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) when it expires on July 31.

As party vice-president, Ismail said he is subject to the decision made by the council.

Yesterday, the Umno Supreme Council decided that the MOU will not be extended after July 31.

On September 13 last year, Ismail, on behalf of the government, inked the MOU with PH component party leaders, namely PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, the then DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng,  Amanah president Mohamad Sabu and Upko president Wilfred Madius Tangau.

“It was decided yesterday that it (MOU) is only until July 31 and the council agreed that it shall not be extended.

”If there are any changes, the council will discuss again,” he told reporters after launching the Koperasi Pudina Putrajaya Bhd Coopmart and Coop Community Mart in Putrajaya today.

The MOU comprised six initiatives, namely empowerment of Covid-19 plans, administrative transformation, parliamentary reforms, Malaysia Agreement 1963, judicial independence and the establishment of a steering committee.

On March 10, MOU Consultative Committee member Anthony Loke was reported as saying that the opposition was willing to further extend the MOU after its expiry on July 31.

Loke, who is the new DAP secretary-general, said the opposition had no issue extending the MOU, especially after the amendment to the Federal Constitution for the anti-party hopping bill, which is among the agenda agreed upon in the MOU, is passed. – Bernama, April 15, 2022.