00:00The unity government's willingness to negotiate with individual MPs regarding allocations
00:07for their constituencies signals Putrajaya's desire to keep opposition attacks in check,
00:13say analysts.
00:14Shahzad Shukri of International Islamic University Malaysia said the government appears eager
00:20to conclude a deal even though talks with Perikatan Nasional have stalled.
00:25She said without an agreement, the opposition will continue to use the issue as ammunition
00:30against the government, highlighting that PN had no strong reason for rejecting the
00:34previous draft Memorandum of Understanding en bloc.
00:39On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Fadhila Yusof said he was open to conducting negotiations
00:44on allocations with opposition MPs on an individual basis.
00:49However, past Deputy President Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man reminded PN MPs that they were prohibited
00:55from negotiating individually for allocations.
00:59James Chin of the University of Tasmania said there was no particular need for the unity
01:04government to have an MOU with the opposition, adding that it was strong enough to pass bills
01:09in the Dewan Rakyat on its own.
01:12Chin added that the government may be seeking to exercise control over the opposition's
01:17racial and religious rhetoric by dealing with their MPs individually.
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