TANJUNG BIDARA: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic) has backed the confidence and supply agreement (CSA) between the Federal Government and a group of opposition and independent MPs, describing it as a positive step that could be extended to other parties.
The Barisan Nasional chairman said such arrangements could help political parties focus on addressing public concerns, regardless of whether they were aligned with the government or opposition.
“This is a good development, and we support the CSA. As far as possible, it should be extended to other parties, whether they are on the government side or otherwise,” he told reporters after accompanying Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh to file his nomination papers for the Tanjung Bidara state seat on Saturday (Oct 31).
The CSA was signed by six Bersatu MPs, six former Bersatu MPs who were sacked in 2024, and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Under the agreement, the MPs will support Budget 2027 in return for equal constituency development allocations from the Federal Government.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said the pact came with no additional conditions, describing it as a positive development based on mutual understanding. The Budget 2027 has passed the policy stage and is expected to be fully approved by Parliament by year-end.
Ahmad Zahid said the arrangement could allow parties to “serve and address the problems of the people”.
“In my view, what has been done is a good step, and it has been done before by the government when an Umno representative was prime minister at the time,” he said.
He did not elaborate on which other parties Barisan believed should be included in a wider CSA arrangement, or on the terms such an agreement should contain.
