KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 29): Thirteen members of Parliament, including former prime minister and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Muda’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, signed a confidence-and-supply agreement (CSA) with the federal government on Thursday, strengthening Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s position in Parliament.
Under the agreement, the 13 MPs will support Budget 2027 and institutional reforms, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure to two terms and separating the powers of the attorney general and public prosecutor. In return, they will receive the same constituency development allocations as government MPs.
Muhyiddin was joined by five other Bersatu MPs: party vice-president Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (Putrajaya), Datuk Ali Biju (Saratok), Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (Langkawi), Mohd Nazri Abu Hassan (Merbok) and Datuk Azman Nasrudin (Padang Serai).
Besides Syed Saddiq, six other independent MPs who had previously declared their support for Anwar’s unity government also signed the agreement.
They are Datuk Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), Datuk Dr Suhaili Abdul Rahman (Labuan), Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang) and Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjung Karang).
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof signed the agreement on behalf of the government. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Anwar’s senior political adviser Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz were also present at the signing ceremony.
With the additional support, Anwar would have the backing of 159 MPs, exceeding the two-thirds majority threshold required to pass constitutional amendments, assuming all relevant MPs vote in support.
The government bloc in the Dewan Rakyat currently comprises 146 MPs, including 75 from Pakatan Harapan (PH), 30 from Barisan Nasional (BN), 23 from Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) and eight from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS).
Four seats are currently vacant following the resignations of Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli (Pandan), Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa), Wong Chen (Subang) and Lee Chean Chung (Petaling Jaya).
Warisan’s three MPs also sit in the government bloc, alongside one MP each from Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) and Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM). Two independent MPs from Sabah are also aligned with the government.
The agreement could also give Anwar greater political breathing room amid calls from BN, one of the unity government’s key partners, for an early general election.
Anwar has repeatedly pushed back against calls for an early election, saying the unity government has a mandate to govern and must focus on economic stability, governance and the people’s welfare.
The current parliamentary term is due to expire on Dec 18, 2027, unless Parliament is dissolved earlier.
CSA covers Budget 2027, institutional reforms
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, Muhyiddin said the agreement was intended to ensure national stability and address key issues affecting the people, particularly the economy and the cost of living.
He confirmed that the MPs would support Budget 2027 and proposals for institutional reforms, including limiting the prime minister’s tenure to a maximum of two terms and separating the powers of the attorney general.
“In return, the government has decided to provide our MPs with the same allocation for constituency development as that received by government MPs,” he said.
However, Muhyiddin stressed that Bersatu would remain on the opposition bench and continue to fulfil its role in providing checks and balances.
He added that the agreement would remain in force until Parliament is dissolved, subject to both parties complying with the agreed terms.
Later in the day, Budget 2027 was passed in the Dewan Rakyat by voice vote, meaning support for the government spending bill was so apparent that votes need not be counted.
The finers points of the budget will now be debated at the committee stage before it is sent to the Dewan Negara for final legislative approval.