MPs should consider cross-party cooperation seriously - Analysts

KUALA LUMPUR: The offer of bipartisan cooperation mooted by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin needs to be considered seriously in an effort to implement Parliamentary and legal reforms for the country's political stability.

Political analyst Prof Dr Sivamurugan Pandian was of the view that the offer would have a beneficial long-term effect for the country's democratic process and would bring about a more matured brand of politics.

Therefore, he said government and opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) should take this opportunity to conduct talks to achieve, stabilise or call a political truce so that the country can focus on recovering from the impact of COVID-19.

"We need to understand the real intentions of the offer, which is to protect and defend the constitutional institutions, that is what is important.

"This matter needs to be understood rationally and practically and not merely emotionally...if this crisis continues, the opposition will also be blamed for not wanting Parliamentary reforms to be implemented," he said as an online guest on "Ruang Bicara" programme aired on Bernama TV today.

National Professors Council (MPN) chairman Distinguished Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, Universiti Malaya Senior Lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub and Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) Democracy and Governance Unit manager Aira Azhari were also present as guests of the programme.

Yesterday, the prime minister announced a proposed cross-party framework that encompassed seven points which would be implemented by the government, if a vote of confidence on him was passed at Dewan Rakyat, including limiting the prime minister's post to two terms and the tabling of an anti-party hopping law in Parliament.

Other offers include a more balanced representation of government and opposition MPs in the Parliamentary special select committees, as well as the implementation of Undi 18 without waiting for the implementation of automatic registration and bills, including the Supply Bill, tabled in Parliament,. would first be discussed with all MPs.

The proposal elicited various reactions from local political parties, including opposition parties.

Commenting further, Sivamurugan noted the process of achieving an understanding would be rather difficult as currently the opposition is more interested in Muhyiddin's legitimacy and position as prime minister.

"Recovery from the health and political crises cannot be achieved without both parties (government and opposition) being willing to sacrifice and compromise with the offer.

"Now is not the time to jostle for the prime ministership but to win the hearts of Malaysians who are suffering...don't continue to victimise the people," he said.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Tawfik said the offer presented was not a dead end for the country's politics, but was instead a breath of fresh air in local politics and what people wished for.

He said the offer clearly came with an invitation for the opposition to negotiate and reach a consensus on the final terms of the offer.

"The total rejection (by the opposition parties) have just exposed the immaturity of some politicians...it is as though they have no motivation to come together to help the people.

"We do not want these politicians to be seen as fighting for mere political survival, till they neglect the concerns of the people," he added.

-- BERNAMA