Anwar: Pakatan states’ prerogative to join snap polls

By Clara Chooi

March 26, 2012

Anwar said the focus should be on allegations of tampering with the electoral roll. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state leaders will discuss tomorrow whether to hold simultaneous polls in the event of an early 13th general election but will not reveal their stand early as it is a “strategic” decision.

PR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the federal opposition would first focus its efforts on exposing the alleged “massive rigging” of the country’s electoral roll by the Election Commission (EC).

“We are keeping our options open and it is a strategic consideration.

“We will discuss it again tomorrow but I don’t think we want to announce it early because our main concern now is massive rigging conducted by the EC,” he said when approached in Parliament today.

The heads of PR states have held several meetings regarding the proposal to skip simultaneous polls with the federal election but have yet to announce their decision.

On March 11, Anwar had told reporters that he had already deliberated on the matter with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

Apart from Penang and Selangor, PR also helms Kedah and Kelantan, which are led by PAS Mentris Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak and Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, respectively.

Nik Aziz had earlier expressed Kelantan’s intention to hold simultaneous polls with the federal election, widely expected to be called in June this year.