KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal today criticised Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders in Parliament for agreeing to cooperate with Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government on institutional reforms.

The Semporna MP reminded his fellow Opposition lawmakers that they had been elected to federal power in GE14, but had their mandate "stolen” from them.

He pointedly asked them about the values they hold dear.

"The political stability in this country, after the 14th general election, we realise and we know. The people in this country struggle, work hard, come from abroad, under the rain, under the sun, until we were able to form a new government.

"Reform the government to enable that governance to place the country on the rightful course. However, unfortunately, we as YBs and leaders in this nation who assume leadership roles, birth examples and life values based on politicking.

"What I’m saying is there is no good value in how we execute our responsibility as Members of Parliament, as leader of a party. Why? We see the framework that is present now.

"The mandate of the rakyat is not just a question of party hopping. The shifts that happened in the country, and we as the Opposition line-up today, before this we pointed to the Sheraton Move. We, the power given to us by the rakyat. The mandate given by the rakyat. That mandate was stolen.

"We agreed, we agreed and yet now, we are working with them,” Shafie said, while turning around to look at the Opposition MPs seated around him.

"We are playing with numbers for human lives in this country?” he asked.

Shafie said that Malaysia could have become a very good example to the world and united the nation to move forward.

However, he said this did not happen as politicians were driven by "greed and the lust to have positions”.

"I could have been there if I wanted to. I don’t want that at the end of the day if the government of the day fails, and I sign the memorandum, I also fail. The people are watching as to how the leadership in this country is,” he said.

He added that he would support the government to realise the Malaysia Agreement (MA63), but this does not mean he too must sign the similar bipartisan agreement for the sake of unity.

Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen had yesterday said that the federal government must step up efforts to implement the Malaysia Agreement (MA63) as it is one of the key areas outlined in the historic bipartisan Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 13.

He said during the time of the PH government, a Special Cabinet Committee had finalised a report on MA63 and its implementation direction.

Chong, who is also Stampin MP, said the Opposition will continue to criticise the federal government on policy matters, despite the two parties signing the MoU.

On September 13, PH said it will do its best for the sake of the future of the people and the nation, after a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to affirm its bipartisan cooperation with the federal government was inked.

PH chairman and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim posted a brief remark on Facebook after attending an official signing ceremony presided by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in Parliament earlier that day.

Dubbed the "Memorandum of Understanding on Political Stability and Transformation”, the signing of the MoU will usher in a period of political stability, allowing both sides of the political divide to work on economic recovery efforts for the greater good.

Prior to the MoU signing, Ismail Sabri in a statement said the bipartisan cooperation — the first in the country’s history — was in line with the royal decree outlined by His Majesty Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah earlier today where all parties needed to practice "deliberative democracy”.

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

PH leaders representing their respective component parties in attendance were Anwar himself, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, Parti Amanah Negara president Mohamad Sabu, and United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

Also present were Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Rais Yatim, Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, Ketereh MP Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Seremban MP Anthony Loke, Senator Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin, Kulim Bandar Baharu MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Pulai MP Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub.