Opposition's rejection of Sosma motion not in breach of MOU, says Anwar

PETALING JAYA: The Opposition's rejection of the parliamentary motion on the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) is not a contravention of its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government, says Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"As explained by some MPs, the motion is not a part of the MOU between the government and Pakatan.

"Therefore, the rejection of the motion does not (have) any effect on the MOU," Anwar said in a Facebook post late Wednesday (March 23) night.

The Port Dickson MP said although he was under quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, he had been following the proceedings in the Dewan Rakyat.

On Wednesday (March 24), a motion tabled by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin to extend the enforcement of Section 4(5) of Sosma for another five years failed after the Dewan Rakyat voted against it.

Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun announced that the bloc voting saw 84 MPs voting for the motion and 86 against, while 50 MPs were absent.

The bipartisan MOU signed between the government and Pakatan last year is supposed to be in effect until July 31.

Among the agreements under the MOU was for the Opposition to only support or abstain from any motion or Bill filed in Parliament by the government.