KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional's (PN) refusal to sign an agreement with the unity government to receive equal allocations for their lawmakers could spell trouble for the opposition pact, political analysts said.
They also believed that more PN lawmakers would follow the footsteps of Labuan member of parliament (MP) Datuk Suhaili Abdul Rahman and Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid, who have declared their support for the federal administration under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's leadership, in the event no agreement was signed for the opposition MPs to receive equal allocation.
Dr Ainul Adzellie Hasnul said the issue of more PN lawmakers declaring support for Anwar could only be stopped if the coalition came out with an agreement to solve the issue.
"While the ruling government must give equal allocations to all MPs, it is also a good idea for PN to sign an agreement with the government, which will ensure that their lawmakers are given equal allocations.
"By doing this (signing an understanding), it definitely could prevent another episode of PN MPs declaring their support for Anwar.
"If PN refused to expedite discussion (with the federal administration over equal distribution among their MPs), this will spell trouble for the opposition pact," he said.
In October, Suhaili and Iskandar Dzulkarnain declared their support for Anwar's administration to get allocations for their respective parliamentary constituencies.
Both of the lawmakers also stated that they were ready to face the consequences over their action.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan pointed out that the issue of equal allocation was being repeated as an excuse as some PN MPs see no future being in the coalition, especially considering that Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) has been overshadowed by Pas.
Azmi also believes that some of the PN MPs were frustrated as they could not fulfil their obligations towards their constituencies or even be an effective opposition.
"To gain the allocation from the government is an excuse to demonstrate their support for the prime minister. I believe the bigger problem is that as an opposition, they cannot fulfil their responsibilities in their constituencies.
"At the same time, Bersatu, as an opposition party, has been overshadowed by Pas in the opposition fold. I believe that some of its Bersatu MPs see that they have no future by staying in the coalition.
"This is a good and safe excuse. I foresee that there will be other MPs (that will follow suit) as they want to help their constituencies and throwing their support behind Anwar is the only way they can get the allocation."
In April, Anwar announced that the government was willing to offer the opposition equal allocations given to MPs in the government bloc, adding that the proposal must be submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
However, Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in May reportedly said the opposition would not beg for allocations and it was Putrajaya's responsibility to distribute the allocations directly to them.
Tuan Ibrahim said this was because a fair government should distribute allocations to opposition MPs directly without needing to submit proposals.