DEPUTY Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said today funding for opposition lawmakers can’t be determined as yet as opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin has yet to meet him for discussions. 

He said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is still hopeful that Hamzah will engage in discussions regarding the allocations before any decision can be made.

“We are discussing how we can collaborate in administering and managing the country, government and parliament to ensure our focus is on effective governance,” he told newsmen after attending a luncheon and awards presentation at the Global Muslim Business Forum in Kuching today.

Fadillah said so far, only Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has met with him, but as an Independent and not representing the opposition.

“Other (opposition) MPs have yet to meet me. Let us discuss first how we can cooperate,” he said.

Anwar was reported to have said he has never objected or set strict conditions on the provision of allocations to opposition members.

The prime minister went on to say that the opposition merely needed to negotiate the matter with Fadillah, especially in matters concerning development allocation, as practised in the democratic system. – Bernama, November 29, 2023.