Uncertainty surrounds Malaysia's state assemblies after dissolution of federal parliament
FILE - A woman casts her vote during a state election at a voting center in Malacca, Malaysia, Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri's Malay party has defeated its allies in the ruling party and the opposition to score a landslide victory in a second state election that could presage early national polls. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)
KUALA LUMPUR: Several days after the dissolution of Malaysia’s parliament, uncertainty surrounds the status of the state assemblies.
The federal parliament was dissolved on Monday (Oct 10), but as of Thursday noon, none of the state assemblies has been dissolved to pave the way for polls at both levels to be held simultaneously.
During his televised speech announcing the dissolution of parliament, caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had urged all the state assemblies, except for four of them, to seek dissolution.
"I encourage all state governments, except the governments of Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Melaka to dissolve their respective state assemblies at the same date as the General Election at the federal level, even though some states have decided not to dissolve," he said.
"It is preferable for (both state and national polls) to be held at the same time so that the people are not burdened, and to ensure that the process of democracy runs smoothly and costs are reduced," added Mr Ismail Sabri.
With the exception of Sarawak, national and state-level elections have usually been held concurrently in Malaysia.
For now, the state assemblies of Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Melaka are out of the equation as polls were held recently.
States under Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) had earlier indicated that state polls would only be held next year.
BN-LED STATE GOVERNMENTS SEEKING DISSOLUTION
Three states under the administration of Barisan Nasional (BN) – Perlis, Pahang and Perak – had indicated that they would seek the dissolution of their assemblies.
On Wednesday, Perak chief minister Saarani Mohammad requested the dissolution of the state assembly during an audience with Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
Mr Saarani then said that the sultan would only announce his decision on the matter later.
“I presented the letter requesting for the state legislative assembly to dissolve to the sultan and he acknowledged it. Any decision pertaining to the matter will be announced by him soon,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
The chief minister said that it was not unusual as the sultan had the prerogative to decide on any request to dissolve the assembly.
As for Pahang, its chief minister Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said on Thursday that the position of its legislative assembly will be known soon after passing the state budget for next year.
According to a Bernama report, Mr Wan Rosdy said the priority was to pass the budget which was tabled last Friday so that the state government’s plans for the people could be implemented.
According to the report, Mr Wan Rosdy is expected to wind up the budget debate on Thursday before putting it to the vote.
On Tuesday, he said that he had yet to get a date for an audience with Pahang Regent Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan to discuss the status of the state assembly.
Perlis chief minister Azlan Man meanwhile said that the state’s legislative assembly would be dissolved after tabling a Bill to enact a state-level anti-hopping law on Thursday.
“I will present a suitable date for the dissolution of the state assembly to the Raja of Perlis, so that we can hold the state election concurrently with the 15th general election,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
PH YET TO MAKE A FIRM DECISION
At the same time, states under PH have yet to make a firm decision on whether to dissolve the state assemblies.
PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim said although the three states under the coalition – Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan were still tied to an earlier decision by the PH presidential council not to dissolve the state assemblies, the state politicians have been told to hold detailed discussions with their component party leadership to find common ground.
“Discuss again in detail with the party leadership for a joint decision to be made,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama after a PH presidential council meeting on Wednesday.
Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Anthony Loke said on Tuesday that the Penang state chapter of his party has asked for a review of the decision against dissolving the state assembly.
“There are views from many people, especially in Penang, for the elections to be held at the same time,” he was quoted as saying by local media.
Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari said on Tuesday that Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah wanted the current PH state government to complete its full term
This was announced following an audience with the sultan earlier that day.
Negeri Sembilan chief minister Aminuddin Harun also said on Tuesday that there is no plan to dissolve the assembly, although PH’s presidential council would have the final say on the matter.
He was quoted as saying by local media that he had informed Negri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir of the decision to hold state elections next year.
“Tuanku said that if the current state government still has the mandate from the people, there’s no harm to hold off the state election until next year,” he said.
On Thursday, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang confirmed in a statement that the three state assemblies led by his party – Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan will not be dissolved. PAS is a component party of Perikatan Nasional.
An election was not due until September 2023, but it is believed that Mr Ismail Sabri had been under pressure from some factions of his ruling coalition to hold the vote earlier.
Shortly after Mr Ismail Sabri announced the dissolution of parliament, Comptroller of the Royal Household of Istana Negara, Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said that the king had no choice but to consent.
“The king expressed his disappointment in the current political developments of the country and had no choice but to consent to the prime minister’s request to return the mandate back to the people for a stable government,” he said on Monday.
The caretaker prime minister later said that he opted to dissolve parliament in order to prevent disharmony in the Cabinet, after PN ministers wrote to the king to voice their objections over holding polls during this year’s monsoon season.
According to a Bernama report on Thursday, the caretaker prime minister denied that his decision to dissolve parliament was due to immense pressure from the United Malays National Organisation.
He added that it was difficult for him to continue leading the government when his Cabinet ministers could not see eye to eye.
The Election Commission will have a special meeting on Oct 20 to discuss and set important dates for GE15 and the state by-election for Bugaya in Sabah.
