Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

Kuala Lumpur: Another MP from Bersatu today declared support for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government.

Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (PN-Bukit Gantang) informed the Dewan Rakyat during proceedings this morning that he now supports Anwar’s government.

“Bukit Gantang would like to declare its support for Tambun (Anwar), the 10th prime minister, and the unity government,” he said during Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Hussin also urged former prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) and Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN-Bera) to help Anwar in building the nation.

His announcement was met with complaints from Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu), who again urged Anwar to give equal constituency development funds (CDF) to all MPs.

“CDF allocations should be given (equally) to all. Not based on who supports the government,” said the Perikatan Nasional chief whip.

In response, Anwar asked why Muhyiddin had not given allocations to Pakatan Harapan MPs when he was helming the PN-led government.

The prime minister also urged the opposition to put an end to any plot to topple his government.

“Every month you say that you want to take over the government. But every month a (PN) MP is pledging support (for the unity government). So stop these ideas of toppling the government.

“I’m not asking you to pander to the prime minister. I want to stress here that I’m willing to give every MP the allocation, but there are rules. Meet (deputy prime minister) Fadillah Yusof (GPS-Petra Jaya) and discuss the matter.

“Fadillah won’t say, ‘Support the prime minister to get your allocation’. But you don’t even want to discuss it, so how (can we give allocations to the opposition)?”

Hussin is the fifth MP from Bersatu to back the unity government. Formerly of Umno, he first won the Bukit Gantang seat at the 2018 general election on a Barisan Nasional (BN) ticket.

He later quit the BN lynchpin and remained an independent MP for two years, before joining Muhyiddin’s Bersatu in June 2020.

Last week, he voiced frustration over the government’s lack of response to the requests and appeals for the allocation of funds, saying this was for the sake of his constituents.

He also said he would pledge his support for Anwar and his government if he received development funds for his constituency.

At the time, he suggested that the rural and regional development ministry allocate a total of RM30 million for his constituency to fix roads in rural areas, upgrade suraus and even public toilets.

The other four MPs from Bersatu who have declared support for Anwar are Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Zahari Kechik (Jeli).