Did PN give MPs equal funds when it led govt, asks Zahid

March 1, 2023

Did PN give MPs equal funds when it led govt, asks Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has dismissed calls by Perikatan Nasional (PN) leaders for equal allocations for opposition MPs.

“I want to ask them, did (PN) give equal allocations previously (when they were leading the government)?” Zahid asked.

The opposition MPs had only been given equal allocations under Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration, after a memorandum of understanding was signed between the then government and Pakatan Harapan.

Yesterday, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin told Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that he stood to win brownie points if he agreed to set aside allocations for opposition MPs.

PN’s Arau MP Shahidan Kassim had also slammed the government over the lack of allocations for opposition MPs in the federal budget, after Anwar tabled Budget 2023 last Friday.

Shahidan had said Putrajaya should “just do away with the opposition” if it wanted to punish the bloc, adding that they were not asking for pocket money but funding for their constituents.

‘I respect Ismail’s decision not to defend Umno veep post’

Meanwhile, Zahid said he respected Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s decision to not defend his Umno vice-president’s post in the party’s upcoming elections, adding that it was the former prime minister’s right.

The Umno president also brushed aside allegations that there were three camps in the party, saying there was only one “Umno camp”.

Ismail had never publicly opposed Zahid but was critical of recent disciplinary action taken against Umno leaders such as former Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein.

Ismail had also claimed that Umno acted like it was in the opposition when he was the prime minister up until Nov 19, 2022.

Zahid had been asked to comment on claims that three camps existed in the party – one that supported him, another that opposed him, and one that was said to be neutral.

Eight candidates will be contesting for the three vice-president’s posts, including incumbents Khaled Nordin and Mahdzir Khaled, law minister Azalina Othman Said, former Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad and Titiwangsa MP Johari Ghani.

A total of 93 candidates are contesting for places in the Umno Supreme Council, while there will be a straight fight for the Wanita Umno chief’s post, and a five-cornered fight for the Umno Youth chief’s posts.

Sixty-one candidates will be competing for posts in Wanita Umno’s executive council, while 113 contestants will be vying to be Umno Youth exco members. Forty-two candidates will also be contesting to be a part of the Puteri Umno leadership.