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

Former prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob says there is no reason for political parties to remain at loggerheads after the Melaka state election.

Speaking on the sidelines of Barisan Nasional’s election campaign here today, he said he hoped more MPs would agree to the confidence and supply agreement (CSA) reached between the government and 13 opposition MPs last month.

“It’s not something new. I started it (in 2021),” the former Umno vice-president told reporters after a walkabout with BN’s candidate for the Durian Tunggal seat, Mustafa Musa.

“Everyone should cooperate if possible. We can oppose each other during the election, but after that, there is no reason to continue the hostilities.”

On Oct 29, the government signed a CSA with six Bersatu MPs led by its president, Muhyiddin Yassin, and seven independent MPs, including Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

The CSA gives opposition MPs access to constituency development funds that government MPs have had access to over the past four years.

It also lists two key reforms for Putrajaya to undertake in exchange for their support – limiting the prime minister’s tenure, and separating the roles of the attorney-general and public prosecutor before the end of the parliamentary term.

Asked whether the CSA’s contents should be made public, Ismail said the government could disclose the agreement if it wanted the public to scrutinise its contents.

Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan yesterday called on the government to make the CSA’s contents public, particularly details on allocations, disbursement mechanisms and implementation.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday said the government is prepared to reveal the contents of the CSA.

He said deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof, who oversaw the signiung of the CSA, would raise the matter at today’s Cabinet meeting.