PUTRAJAYA will not extend the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with Pakatan Harapan, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

While there is no expiry date for the MOU as it is set to expire with the dissolution of the current parliamentary term, Ismail had promised not to dissolve parliament before July 31.

As the date approaches, the Umno leadership does not want Ismail to extend or renegotiate this clause so that they can push for snap elections this year.

Ismail said he had met with opposition leaders to assure them that cooperation in key areas would continue with or without an MOU.

“What is more important is having an understanding on several issues,” he said, referring to the push for an anti-hopping law and a political funding law.

“With or without an agreement, we will continue (to cooperate) on matters that are important to the people and that we agree on.”

The anti-party-hopping bill was tabled at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Last September, Ismail’s administration signed a historic MOU with main opposition bloc PH to ensure political stability in the country, after two previous prime ministers were replaced due to insufficient support from elected MPs.

Besides the election issue, the MOU has six key areas covering a Covid-19 recovery plan, institutional and parliamentary reforms, judicial independence, and the Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Since the signing of the MOU, the government has amended the Federal Constitution to restore the status of Sabah and Sarawak, given equal constituency funds to all MPs, revamped Parliament’s select committees, raised the Covid-19 fund, and implemented Undi18.

Among the major items that have yet to be done include limiting the prime minister’s tenure to 10 years, enacting a Parliament Services Act, and amending Parliament’s Standing Orders. – July 27, 2022.