Selangor sets April deadline for polls

Should the federal government fail to dissolve parliament in March, Selangor would go ahead with separate polls.

SHAH ALAM: Irrespective of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s election plans, Selangor has set its own deadline for the dissolution of its state assembly.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said today that while the state  preferred to hold joint polls with the federal government, it would not wait indefinitely.

“I am advised by the Pakatan leadership to dissolve Selangor (legislature assembly) in tandem with the federal government. But I really want to do it quickly.

“So we have fixed a date. If they don’t dissolve by then, we will go ahead with separate polls,” he told reporters after officiating the Seminar Masjid Wanita here.

Khalid, who is Ijok assemblyman, however refused to reveal the deadline except to say that the dissolution of the Selangor Legislative Assembly would “very likely” be made in March with election taking place in April.

“(But) we are still waiting for the federal’s reactions,” said Khalid.

Early last month, Khalid said Selangor would dissolve the state assembly if the much-awaited 13th General Elections is not called by Chap Goh Meh, which was Feb 24.

He then sought an audience with the Selangor Sultan on Feb 20 and said the ruler had no objections to an early dissolution.

However, Pakatan leaders said Khalid had never discussed the date of Selangor polls with them.

Parliament is set to automatically dissolve on April 28 while Selangor state assembly dissolves on April 22.