Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg

The Malaysian government, led by the newly-minted Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and leaders from the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to forge bipartisan cooperation on Sep. 13.

The MoU has been described as a "historic" deal by the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a statement released on Sep. 13.

The signing of the "Memorandum of Understanding on Political Stability and Transformation" took place at the Malaysian parliament banquet hall at 5pm on the first day of the 14th parliamentary session.

In the PMO's statement, Ismail Sabri said that the MoU shaped a "stable bipartisan effort in the spirit of a Malaysian Family".

He also said that the MoU is aligned with the speech given by the Malaysian King, Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin AlMustafa Billah Shah, during the opening of the parliament on the same day.

Practising a “deliberative democracy”

The statement added that during his opening speech, the king urged all members of the house to practise a "deliberative democracy" in finding solutions to any issues to achieve a peaceful, inclusive and sustainable Malaysia.

A "deliberative democracy" is a form of democracy where deliberation is central to decision-making.

"The transformation set to be introduced will not only strive towards good governance in the fight against Covid-19 and economic recovery, but it will also stimulate a conducive investment climate that will spur strong economic growth for the well-being of the Malaysian Family," Ismail Sabri said in the statement. 

MoU include parliamentary reforms

According to the statement, the MoU covers these six areas:

• Empowerment of the Covid-19 plan;
• Administrative transformation;
• Parliamentary reforms;
• Independence of judicial institutions;
• MA63 Malaysia Agreement; and
• Establishment of a Steering Committee.

Malay Mail reported that those present at the official signing include other opposition figures such as PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, President of Parti Amanah Negara Mohamad Sabu and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Ismail Sabri thanked members of parliament who agreed to put aside their political, ideological differences to spur economic stability and harmony for the "Malaysian Family".

Follow and listen to our podcast here

Top image via Malay Mail courtesy of Malaysia's Prime Minister's Office