Negotiate, not attack government on opposition MP allocations - Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim insisted in the Dewan Rakyat today that he has never rejected the principle of providing allocations to opposition members of Parliament, but it needs to start with a negotiation process.

He said this was as practiced by the government under Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's (BN - Bera) leadership.

"I never said there was no allocation. When Pagoh (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) was the prime minister, we (the opposition) never got an allocation. But it's fine since Madani means we should be fair.

"What happened during the government under Bera (Ismail Sabri) did not start just like that. It started with negotiations.. negotiate nicely and discuss the method.

"I suggest a negotitaion process. In principle, I do not reject the idea to provide allocations to the opposition just like the other government members of Parliament, and this was my stance from the beginning, but no negotiation had taken place, only hostile dialogues," he told Dewan Rakyat today.

He said so while answering a question from Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (PN - Arau) who asked about Anwar's promise to provide allocations to the opposition.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, added that he did not want to start any fights between the government and the opposition.

Therefore, he said the negotiation process should be carried out soon so that allocations can be channeled immediately.

"I will ask Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu... if there is an understanding then it can be done (provide allocations).