Malaysia PM rules out extending pact with opposition

AN agreement between Malaysia’s government and the main opposition alliance signed last year to ensure political stability won’t be extended, Free Malaysia Today reported, citing Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Ismail said the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) had decided against extending the memorandum of understanding and that he would stick by his party’s decision, according to the report.

Ismail had informed Umno that the government would not be extending the MoU, and that the opposition also agreed that there was no need for another written agreement. The government will continue to co-operate on matters that are important to the people, Ismail told reporters, citing his backing for the anti-defection law that was tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

The MoU was signed last September to ensure political stability, following a series of short-lived coalitions that brought Malaysia three prime ministers since 2018. Though the bipartisan pact doesn’t have an expiry date, it stipulates that Parliament cannot be dissolved before July 31 this year.

Ismail said he will dissolve Parliament when the time is right, adding that it could be this year or next, according to the report. BLOOMBERG