PRIME Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob should not feel pressured by his party to rush into dissolving Parliament to speed up the 15th general election (GE15), opposition leaders said. 

They said that the Bera MP should instead take advantage of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Transformation and Political Stability 2.0, which he had signed with Pakatan Harapan (PH) towards implementing reforms until the end of the current term. 

They added that Ismail must discuss with PH issues relating to the MOU, including his decision if he wants to end the agreement. 

“Ismail must take the opportunity to implement more reforms and initiatives that can help the people before holding GE15. 

“So (he) has the opportunity for reforms and it is better to get bipartisan support to do good for the country, so the MOU must be implemented until the GE15 period,” Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin told The Malaysian Insight. 

The PKR leader said that under the MOU signed on September 13 last year, many items can be implemented.

“I think we need to see there is a lot of work that can be done because this MOU is very different – there is nothing in history before this where the opposition and the government have worked together for the good of the people – and that such important constitutional amendments can be made together. 

“So don’t waste this opportunity, there’s a lot more that can be done,” Sim said. 

Sim, however, stressed that PKR is ready to face the election if Ismail chooses to follow the wishes of the Umno leadership to call for early polls.

“We are always ready because our job is always to be ready for the election, this is the party’s political work.

“Although we are going through the party’s election process, we can still be ready for a general election.

“Indeed, planning (preparations for GE15) have been made all this while,” said Sim.

Under the MOU, PH had agreed to back Ismail as the prime minister in return for political stability and institution reforms. 

As a result, the Ismail administration had implemented Undi18 to allow the decrease in the age of voters and the introduction of the anti-party hopping act.

The MOU clearly states that Ismail should not dissolve Parliament before July 31, and states that the MOU only expires at the end of the term. 

However, Umno leaders have been calling for an early election, and have been pressuring Ismail to dissolve the MOU after July 31. 

Avoid wasting funds 

Amanah vice-president Mahfuz Omar also agreed that Ismail should not be pressured by his party leaders to hold GE15 soon.

He said that as the prime minister, Ismail should take into account the interests of the people and choose to hold general elections simultaneously among all states.

This is due to the fact that there are opposition-administered states such as Penang and Selangor, as well as states under PAS such as Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah, that had refused to dissolve their respective state assemblies if the general election is held earlier.

“There is no need to hold a separate general election, the prime minister must discuss with the states dissolutions that are held simultaneously. 

“This gives great benefits to the country because we will be able to avoid wasteful expenses,” said Mahfuz. 

The Pokok Sena MP said the Umno leadership is luring Ismail into holding an early GE15 by promising to make him the prime minister after the election. 

“I see Umno’s decision to bait and threaten Ismail – the bait of the prime minister’s post. They are forcing him to end the MOU. 

“If the prime minister accepts the decision, it means we have a weak prime minister who has been baited and threatened,” said Mahfuz. 

Like Sim, Mahfuz also stressed that PH is ready if GE15 is held earlier. 

“All political parties are ready to face any eventuality but that is not the issue. Are we willing to sacrifice the country’s money and the people for the sake of political interests?”

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke, on the other hand, stressed that any action that Ismail takes regarding the MOU should involve discussions with the opposition.

“Whether Ismail wants to continue (with the MOU), he has to talk to us,” Loke told The Malaysian Insight. 

The Seremban MP had previously said matters related to the MOU involve the government and the opposition. 

Therefore, he added, Umno is not involved in deciding whether the MOU must be continued. – April 22, 2022.