This comes after Pakatan Harapan’s dismal showing in the Melaka elections on Saturday, in which it managed to garner only five seats against 21 won by Barisan Nasional and two by Perikatan Nasional.

Anwar said the SOPs drawn up by the National Security Council (MKN) limited the parties’ freedom to campaign as members were unable to explain, hand out pamphlets or meet voters.

“The SOPs limited campaigning. An informed choice should have been more democratic in spirit,” he said during the debate on the Supply Bill 2022 at the committee level in the Dewan Rakyat.

The bill was approved at the policy stage through a voice vote last week.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Sabu (PH-Kota Raja) sarcastically remarked that all former prime ministers should be paid for their contributions to the country, referring to Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s revelation recently that Najib Razak had made an application for a plot of land and a house reportedly worth RM100 million.

He said first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman would then be given RM1 billion for gaining the country’s independence, second prime minister Razak Hussein RM500 million for his contributions to develop the country, and third prime minister Hussein Onn RM300 million for uniting the various races.

Continuing his tone, Mohamad said Mahathir, the country’s fourth prime minister, should be given RM2 billion for modernising the country, while Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib should get RM100 million each.

“Let the country go bankrupt, but let’s pay them for their contributions,” he said.

Earlier, Anwar had also raised the issue of Najib’s application to the Cabinet for the land and house.

Najib has said he will withdraw the application.

Anwar also asked Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob for updates on probes into the Pandora Papers leak, enquiring whether the relevant enforcement agencies had started investigations.

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