OPPOSITION lawmakers must be willing to discuss and negotiate with the government if they want allocation to be given to them, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. 

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said allocations are not a “fundamental right” of lawmakers.

“If (you) want allocation, discuss and negotiate. Don’t be arrogant and supercilious.

“Upon discussion, if everything is okay, we will approve. If not (ready to discuss and negotiate), wait forever. I will not approve,” the Tambun MP said in parliament today while replying to the points raised during the mid-term review of  the 12^th Malaysia plan.

Anwar said his Madani government will take a similar stand as former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on providing allocations, should the opposition be ready to have a discussion. 

“When (Perikatan Nasional) was in power, we (opposition) did not get allocation.

“Only after Bera (Ismail) became the prime minister, we received. I’m thankful to Bera for that. 

“He (Ismail) asked to discuss if we really wanted the allocation. So, we sent representatives, then I went for a discussion and later the allocation was approved.

“So, I will take a similar stance as Bera on this issue (discuss for allocation),” he said.

During Ismail’s administration, the government had given equal allocation for elected representatives from both blocs under the Prime Minister’s Special Allocation. 

Anwar said he had assigned Deputy Prime Minister II Fadillah Yusof to handle matters pertaining to allocations. – September 19, 2023.