CSA will help ease political hostilities after Melaka polls, says Ismail

Former Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob believes political parties should not continue to clash after the recent Melaka state election. Speaking at a Barisan Nasional election campaign event, he expressed his hope that more MPs would join the confidence and supply agreement (CSA) signed last month between the government and 13 opposition MPs.

Ismail, who initiated the CSA in 2021, emphasized the importance of cooperation between the parties, stating that while they can oppose each other during elections, there is no reason to continue hostility afterward.

The government signed the CSA on October 29 with six Bersatu MPs, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, and seven independent MPs, including Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. This agreement grants opposition MPs access to the same constituency development funds that government MPs have been benefiting from for the past four years. In return for their support, the CSA outlines two key reforms for the Putrajaya administration to implement before the end of the parliamentary term: limiting the prime minister's tenure and separating the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor.

When asked about the transparency of the CSA, Ismail suggested that the government could make the agreement's contents public if it wished to subject them to public scrutiny. Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan previously urged the government to disclose the CSA's contents, particularly details on allocations, disbursement mechanisms, and implementation.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the government's willingness to reveal the CSA's details, with Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof expected to raise the issue at the current Cabinet meeting.