CSA bukan perkara baharu, tiada sebab bermusuh selepas pilihan raya, kata Ismail

Former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob addressed the press during a PRN Melaka walkabout in Durian Tunggal. He clarified that the Confidence and Cooperation Agreement (CSA) is not a new concept and that his administration initiated it when he governed from August 2021 to October 2022. Ismail stressed that there is no reason for the political party to remain hostile after the elections, and the CSA should focus on cooperation.

"When it comes to the elections, we can oppose each other, but outside of the elections, there is no reason for us to continue with the hostility," he told journalists after a joint appearance with BN candidate Mustafa Musa. On October 29, the government launched the CSA with 13 Members of Parliament, including six Bersatu representatives led by Muhyiddin Yassin, six former party representatives, and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

The agreement covers support for the 2027 budget and institutional reform, with constituents receiving development funds equivalent to one parliamentary representative. Asked if the contents of the CSA should be made public, Ismail stated that the government could do so if they wanted to give the public access to investigate its contents.

"If the government made the agreement public, the people could see what is contained within it," he said. Regarding the relationship between Umno and PAS, Ismail believes that efforts towards uniting Malay people are clear at the moment. He is confident that cooperation between BN and PAS in Melaka will be successful, similar to the results seen in PRN Johor and Negeri Sembilan.

Ismail's confidence stems from the support from PAS representatives in areas where BN candidates contested in the PRN Melaka.