MoU: Important to preserve national identity, avoid threatening the spirit of parliamentary democracy – Saifuddin
KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) insisted today that the rejection of the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) from the government regarding the allocation of opposition MPs is very important in order to ensure the survival of the national identity.
It is to ensure that Malaysia develops according to its own mold and values based on the nobility of the Federal Constitution, said PN Education Portfolio Head Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah.
According to him, it is part of the value loaded applied by the party.
“This rejection is based on four fundamental reasons, namely that the MOU is against the Federal Constitution; against cultural, moral, and religious values; can be misinterpreted and abuse of power; and restricts the freedom of representatives of the people to speak.
“The MoU has a list of conditions or obligations that must be complied with by PN MPs only, and strangely, compliance by government MPs is not stated. So, it is biased.
“But what is most significant is that it raises four fundamental points of rejection, and those four points must be opposed and cannot be compromised,” he said in a statement today.
Saifuddin said those four things are against the values and principles that define or give meaning to what Malaysia is and the national identity of its people.
He further explained that, in terms of justice, the MoU opens up an opportunity for the authorities to interpret certain matters according to their political tastes, such as sensitive issues involving the 3 Rs (race, religion, and king).
“Finally, the MoU adds nonsensical rules about the conduct of Members of Parliament, while the related laws are already in place. This will reduce the existing freedom of expression.
“Therefore, accepting this MoU is a dangerous step. It not only damages national identity but also threatens the foundation and spirit of parliamentary democracy in our country,” he said.
On 15 September, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin stated that his party had made a decision to reject the MoU from the government regarding allocations to PN Members of Parliament.
