CSA tiada kaitan pakatan PRN Melaka dengan PH, kata Bersatu

Malaysia's Bersatu party President Muhyiddin Yassin has stated that the Confidence and Cooperation Agreement (CSA) signed with the federal government today has no connection to the potential electoral cooperation between Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the Melaka PRN. "It's a separate matter. It has no connection with this agreement," he told reporters after signing the deal at Parliament today.

Muhyiddin said this when asked if Bersatu would now engage in electoral cooperation with PH in Melaka. Speculation about such cooperation emerged after PH and Bersatu leaders attended a closed-door briefing in Melaka on September 28. However, the proposal faced opposition from some quarters within PH. Muhyiddin also noted that the CSA is separate from any deal being negotiated between Bersatu and the Selangor state government led by PH.

"This is a different matter. This agreement is between the federal government represented by the Prime Minister and MPs from my party and others involved," he said. The agreement involves six Bersatu MPs and Muar Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. Under the agreement, they want the tenure of the prime minister to be limited and the roles of the Attorney-General and state prosecutors to be separated before the end of the government's term.

They also demand regional development funds on par with those received by supporting party MPs. In return, seven rebel MPs will support Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration until the end of the parliamentary term, including approving the 2027 budget. Six Bersatu MPs who signed the agreement include Muhyiddin (Pagoh), Radzi Jidin (Putrajaya), Ali Biju (Sarawak), Suhaimi Abdullah (Langkawi), Nazri Abu Hassan (Merbok), and Azman Nasrudin (Padang Serai).

The agreement was also signed by six former Bersatu MPs who resigned in 2024 after expressing support for the government. Muhyiddin said their signatures were merely a formality as they had previously expressed support for the government. According to him, Bersatu will remain the opposition and continue its watchdog and balance of power role even after the CSA is signed.

Muhyiddin stated that the agreement is expected to remain in force until Parliament is dissolved, but can be terminated if any party fails to meet its individual commitments. Asked why the CSA was only signed almost a year before Parliament is expected to be dissolved, Muhyiddin said Bersatu had hoped for such an agreement from the start.

"For example, when I became prime minister, all MPs, whether from the government or opposition, accepted the allowance. However, under the current prime minister, there was the understandable reluctance earlier. Now the time is right, so we signed the agreement," he said. Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq said the CSA must be followed by legislation that ensures equitable regional development funds for all MPs, not just those who signed the agreement.

He said the agreement sets the allowance for government and opposition MPs to be the same, even though the exact amount has not been disclosed. "The agreement states that the allowance for government and opposition MPs must be the same. That is very important," he said. Syed Saddiq also urged that this ease be extended to all rebel MPs, as equitable allowance is the right of every parliamentary constituency.