PETALING JAYA, Aug 26 (Sin Chew Daily) – The cooperation agreement between prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Perikatan Nasional leaders has opened up a whole new perspective for the country’s politics, and the prime minister’s sincerity in this aspect will make him an outstanding leader at a time the country is going through a political crisis.

Ismail Sabri should make use of this rare opportunity to materialize cross-party cooperation in leading the country forward after three whole years of political fights.

Malaysians sick of endless political fights

Senior lecturer Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub of the Department of Administrative Studies and Politics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Universiti Malaya, told Sin Chew Daily if the prime minister has sealed an agreement with opposition leaders, it will mark a major political milestone in the country, as this will be the first time in the country’s history for such cooperation.

Mohd Tawfik said Malaysians have become increasingly matured following the political developments in recent years, and he believes they are more receptive now to the notion of cross-party cooperation because they have grown tired of the old political ways.

Both the ruling and opposition parties should seize this opportunity to support the cross-party cooperation proposed by the prime minister and support the passing of an anti-party hopping law in the parliament.

“We don’t want to see MPs jumping ship for their own political interests.”

He believes the passing of the anti-hopping law will significantly stabilize the country’s politics and remove any factor of political uncertainty in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is our first step in new politics. We still have a very long way to go and should give the PM and opposition an opportunity to work together in running this country.”

A good begnning 

Current affairs commentator Tang Ah Chai said it is unprecedented in this country for the prime minister to hold out an olive branch to the opposition to reach an accord.

He said although we have yet to see the substantial solutions for such cooperation, at least it marks a good beginning, not only in response to the call by His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong, but also taking into consideration of the reality Malaysians are growingly sick of unceasing political fights.

“Ismail Sabri has adopted his predecessor Muhyiddin Yassin’s last-minute offer of cross-party cooperation with the opposition.”

He said so far we have only seen a memorandum of understanding, and next we will see how Ismail Sabri is going to respond to it, including whether he will appoint an opposition MP to replace Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said as Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker.

“The cooperation with the government will not only relieve the taut political tension, but will also help mitigate the pressure from within the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition for Anwar Ibrahim to step down.”