KOTA KINABALU: The incoming prime minister must herald a new way of politics and work closely with the Opposition to ensure the focus remains on the country’s needs.
Upko president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said no government could be stable with just 111 seats or a slightly higher number in the 222-member House.
“Neither do we need a unity government if the price is a bloated Parliament or inter-ministry rivalry when parties that do not trust each other sit under the same roof,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Madius said there was a need for the new prime minister and the government to sign the Confidence and Supply Agreements with the Opposition.
This would ensure the government’s survival on the votes of confidence, budget, and royal speeches in exchange for fair treatment of the Opposition and due consideration of Opposition’s views in lawmaking and policy-making, he added.
He said it was also in line with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s advice for inter-party reconciliation and an end to the “winner takes all” politics.
Upko also backed the 10-point “Cross-party political stability pact” proposed by Bersih 2.0, ABIM, Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
Madius said the package was much more comprehensive and well thought out than Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s seven-point reform package made on Aug 13.
“One glaring omission in Muhyiddin’s package is nothing about decentralisation,” he added.
He said decentralisation was needed, not only for Sabah and Sarawak, but also for the other states and federal territories.
“It is not enough to have only inter-party collaboration at the Federal level between the government and opposition. We also need greater inter-governmental collaboration between Putrajaya and the states,” he said.
“States, especially Sabah and Sarawak, must be given more say in the direction of national policies.
“The Klang Valley-centred ‘one-size-fits-all’ governance paradigm must be buried together with the winner-takes-all politics,” he added.