Allocation for Opposition: Decision hinges on geopolitical events, KKB by-election

SHAH ALAM - The fate of the annual allocation distribution agreement for opposition MPs remains uncertain, with two key factors influencing its resolution.

However, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia's Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Core Studies, Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azmir Mohd Nizah said that these two factors involve the extent to which the Unity Government faces economic challenges due to the implications of the current geopolitical crisis in the West Asian region involving Iran-Israel and the outcome of the Kuala Kubu Bharu By-election scheduled for May 11.

He noted that despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim often emphasising the commitment of the Madani Government to meet the demands of the Opposition bloc MPs, the government still needs time and space to ensure that the decision on the annual allocation distribution will not 'shoot themselves in the foot.'

Therefore, Azmir expects that the negotiation sessions between the government and Opposition representatives, especially the Perikatan Nasional (PN) scheduled for tomorrow, would only reach a resolution after having been held three times.

"If the Iran-Israel clash worsens, akin to the Ukraine-Russia war, the government may have to postpone offering the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on allocation distribution to Opposition MPs to prioritise stabilising the country's economy, which is likely to be severely affected by the geopolitical conflict in West Asia.

"In the second scenario, if the outcome of the Kuala Kubu Bharu By-election does not favour the government, this step will pressure Anwar to direct the immediate implementation of the MoU.

"This is because the defeat of the Madani Government candidate will indicate an increasing deficit of public trust in the government, and the MoU for opposition allocation distribution alone is seen as a solution to stabilise the country's politics until the 16th General Election (GE16)," he said yesterday.

Last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof revealed that the Unity Government would hold a meeting at the highest level of the Unity Government Secretariat on Wednesday to discuss the issue of allocation distribution to Opposition MPs.

Fadillah clarified that the meeting was held following a meeting of PN leaders with him in Parliament on March 19.

In the meeting, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, accompanied by Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee, only discussed the allocation issue.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Mara's (UiTM) Liberal Communication Senior Lecturer Dr A Aziz Azizam anticipated a prolonged negotiation process.

He suggested that the government might delay a final decision until the Sabah State Election next year.

While pressure exists from the Prime Minister's past promises and the King's decree on fair allocation, Azizam expects the government to proceed cautiously to avoid negative political repercussions.