KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) has agreed to return to the negotiation table to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning allocations for opposition members of Parliament, reports said.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, in an exclusive interview with Sinar Harian, said he and PN chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan recently held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Hamzah, who is also the Larut member of Parliament, stressed that PN's readiness to return to the negotiation table is conditional upon the government agreeing to provide a fair agreement for both parties.
"Perhaps we can sit down and think about this more openly and fairly for everyone.
"Do not just consider one side, as the (previous) draft (of the MoU) only favours their side. That's why we cannot accept it.
"However, if it (MoU) is fair and shows the government that prioritises the welfare of the people and genuinely considers its responsibilities for the country's future, then we cannot simply oppose it.
"But if a government is unfair and doesn't appear to prioritise the welfare of the people and the nation, I would rather remain in the opposition and continue to criticise any wrongdoing they commit."
Hamzah added that PN had rejected the previous draft of the MoU as the opposition believed it was not only unfair to the bloc but also to the people.
"The (previous draft of the) MoU did not provide any room for us to discuss welfare and fairness, which are essential to ensure we, as the opposition, can function as a check and balance.
"Ideally, if something seems wrong, we should be able to criticise it. If everything becomes beyond criticism, there is a risk that the country's future will be worse than what we aspire to," he said.
It was previously reported that PN cited four grounds including its potential for misinterpretation when the opposition rejected the MoU.
The opposition had claimed that the MoU is contrary to the principles in the Federal Constitution, conflicts with culture, moral, and religious values.
In response, Fadillah had released the draft of the MoU to counter the claims made by the opposition.
Fadillah had previously said that the unity government has no intention to engage in further discussions with the opposition as the bloc rejected two drafts of MoU and their reluctance to even discuss it.