PM promised GE15 won’t be in 2023, says Tok Mat

 

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan was quoted as saying ‘it’s very clear that the elections will be held this year’.

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has “given his commitment” that the coming general election will not be held in 2023, says Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

“It’s very clear that the elections will be held this year, and if it’s this year, we can’t be holding it in December. People would be forced to swim to (the polling centres),” he said, in reference to the year-end monsoon season.

However, Mohamad said Ismail simply could not reveal the exact date just yet, Utusan Malaysia reported.

Mohamad, better known as Tok Mat, said Barisan Nasional must win the general election, Malaysia’s 15th since Merdeka, as it would determine whether the coalition would survive.

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“For the government to be strong and stable, we must form it ourselves,” he said. BN is currently part of a coalition government formed by Ismail with support from Perikatan Nasional, GRS, GPS and minor parties.

Mohamad, who is BN deputy chairman, reiterated that the coalition would contest GE15 on its own. While there were parties keen to join the coalition, he said BN will not be deceived by them.

Ismail, who is an Umno vice-president, has remained evasive on whether GE15 will be brought forward. As prime minister, he has discretion on when to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament, leading to fresh elections.

On Saturday night, an Umno Supreme Council meeting was chaired by party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who earlier said its insistence that GE15 be held this year would be discussed.

However, the party has yet to issue any statement on the outcome of the meeting.

The election date has been widely speculated to be as early as November, fuelled by the government’s announcement that the 2023 budget would be tabled on Oct 7, three weeks earlier than previously scheduled.

The government’s term ends next July and the general election must be held by Sept 16 next year, but some Umno leaders have pressed for it to be called this year following convincing BN victories in recent state elections. - FMT