KLUANG - Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has slammed the government for withholding allocations from Opposition lawmakers, accusing it of neglecting the people in Opposition-held constituencies.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman said that development funds should be distributed equally among all Members of Parliament without requiring the negotiation or signing of any memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
"Who is causing harm to the people? Us? No, it’s them because they’re not providing us with the necessary funds.
"The areas we manage that lack the funds needed to assist the people," Muhyiddin said during the Mahkota by-election campaign.
The Bersatu president urged the Unity Government to follow the example set by PN-led states such as Perlis, Kedah, and Kelantan, which allocate funds to Opposition assemblymen.
He also clarified that Terengganu, the fourth Pas-ruled state, has no opposition members.
Muhyiddin also dismissed the idea of negotiating an MoU with the government, saying PN was ready to move forward without it.
"It's fine. If they don’t provide us with funds, we will continue fighting for the people. We’ll do what we can," he added.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin announced PN’s unanimous rejection of the draft MoU, claiming it violated the Federal Constitution.
Hamzah argued that the draft contained provisions affecting the special position of Malays and Bumiputeras, as well as clauses that allegedly conflicted with traditional, cultural, and moral values.
On Tuesday, Muhyiddin pointed to a clause that he claimed restricted discussions on race, religion, and royalty (3Rs), asserting that it would prevent MPs from addressing their constituents' concerns on these matters.
While the government has expressed its willingness to negotiate the MoU, PN has stated that discussions will not proceed based on the current draft.