Kedah govt might not dissolve if GE15 held soon

The Kedah state government might not dissolve its state legislative assembly if the 15th general election is called in the near future, according to the state's menteri besar (MB).

Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor (above) said that his state administration has solid support at this juncture and thus does not need to go for a state election.

"If the Parliament is dissolved, we are ready to face an election at any time. In Kedah, we will continue as usual. I think there is no need for the state to follow (dissolving the assembly).

"This is my personal opinion. If the party's central leadership in Perikatan Nasional (PN) finds that there is a need to go for a state election, then we will follow," he told a press conference in Alor Setar today, as reported by Berita Harian.

Asked whether he worries if a general election is called soon, the PAS state assemblyperson for Jeneri told reporters that politicians should not be afraid of elections.

"I am not afraid (to face elections), politicians are not afraid. But we do not like to waste resources and time to conduct an election.

"It is up to the prime minister (Muhyiddin Yassin) to decide, but I think we do not need to hold an election at this juncture," he said.

Sanusi took over as Kedah MB after a political coup in the state which saw four Bersatu and two former PKR state representatives switched side, thus leading to the fall of the state Pakatan Harapan government led by then MB Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz Mahathir

The Kedah state assembly has a total of 36 seats, of which 23 are now in support of the PN state government.

After the Sheraton Move in February that saw the fall of the Harapan federal government, four states which used to be under the coalition's leadership had since fallen to PN, namely Johor, Malacca, Perak, and Kedah.

Unlike Kedah, the situation in Johor, Malacca, and Perak are not as stable because PN does not have a huge majority in the states, with Johor having only a one-seat majority.

PN's position can be considered strong in other states like Pahang, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu, and Sarawak where its component parties have large majorities in the state assemblies.

Sabah, meanwhile, is going for a state election that was scheduled for Sept 26 after its chief minister Shafie Apdal acquired permission from the state Governor to dissolve the assembly following a political coup attempt by PN to topple the Warisan president. - Mkini