PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is confident that the pact signed by all party leaders in the Unity Government will ensure his administration remains intact for the full five-year term.
Anwar told a press conference here that the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the Unity Government was proof that they were committed to supporting him in the top post.
“Their commitment is to support a stable government, hopefully until the end of its full term,” he said.
The leaders of five political parties in Anwar’s government signed the pact at the Prime Minister’s Office here earlier, stating their support for the Unity Government led by the Prime Minister.
They are Pakatan Harapan (PH) Chairman Anwar, Barisan Nasional (BN) Chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Chairman Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Warisan President Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal.
The MoU was also witnessed and signed by the secretaries-general of the respective parties. Anwar reaffirmed that the focus of the MoU was on good governance and spurring economic growth, not only in the peninsula but also in Sabah and Sarawak.
According to the MoU, all the signatory coalitions and parties must support Anwar in all matters of confidence and supply as well as those that could have a bearing on the legitimacy of his administration.
The coalitions and parties were responsible for ensuring their federal lawmakers abided by the MoU, and any MP who did not comply would be considered as having resigned from his party, effectively triggering the anti-hopping law.
The supporting lawmakers included all those except from the parties in Perikatan Nasional and Pejuang, which amounted to 148 out of the 222 in Parliament.
After he was appointed as the Prime Minister, Anwar pledged to table a motion of confidence during the December 19 parliamentary meeting to establish his majority to lead the government.
Anwar was named the Prime Minister of a national Unity Government after his Pakatan Harapan coalition won 82 seats in the 15th general election, which was the most by any single group or party but still short of the 112 needed for a simple majority.
The MoU was signed by the secretaries-general of the member coalitions, which were Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail for PH, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir (BN), Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (GPS), Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun (GRS), and Datuk Loretto Padua Jr (Warisan).
Also present were Amanah President Mohamad Sabu, DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Upko President Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau, Parti Bangsa Malaysia President Datuk Larry Sng, Muda President Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and Social Democratic Harmony Party (PKDM) President Datuk Peter Anthony.
“I am touched by the trust bestowed on me. With the commitment together, as a strong team, the Unity Government will allow us to face any problems in and out of the Parliament, with one voice,” he said.
Anwar added that the MoU would ensure the stability of his government throughout its entire term.
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