PETALING JAYA: The memorandum of understanding between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) will not be extended, says Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Speaking to reporters after an event in Kuala Lumpur, Ismail said Umno had decided against extending the MoU and as such he would abide by his party’s decision.
He also said he had met with opposition leaders and told them that it did not matter if the MoU was extended or not.
“What is more important is having an understanding on several issues,” he said, citing the push for an anti-hopping law and a political funding law.
-Ismail said he had informed Umno that the government would not be extending the MoU, and that the opposition also agreed there was no need for another written agreement.
“With or without an agreement, we will continue (to cooperate) on matters that are important to the people and that we agree on.”
Last September, Ismail and PH leaders signed the MoU agreeing to work together to help bolster economic recovery and restore political stability while the government managed the Covid-19 pandemic.
Though the MoU does not have an expiry date, it states that the government and PH had agreed not to hold GE15 before July 31.
Asked if the dissolution of Parliament would hinge on the introduction of a political funding law, Ismail said it would not.
“Parliament can be dissolved at any time. When I believe the time is right for Parliament to be dissolved, I will seek a dissolution,” he said, adding that it could be this year or next.
