Penang govt rules out snap polls, to wait for the general election

Penang state government has ruled out a possibility of snap election as the present administration has the number to sustain a stable government.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said with the next general election being just a little bit more than a year away, there is no need for any snap election.

“We have the numbers to sustain a stable government as compared to certain states which have a slim majority that creates an unstable situation,” Chow said yesterday.

“I think that is our main consideration not to have a separate state poll. We will have it concurrently with the national poll or general election.”

Chow, who is also the Penang DAP chairperson, said a snap election was not part of the state government’s plan right now as its focus is to continue serving the people who are struggling due to Covid-19.

“The main consideration is that the need does not arise here and we are able to provide a stable government to the people now,” he quipped when asked to comment on any possibility of snap polls in Penang after Johor was rumoured to hold it soon following the death of Kempas assemblyperson Osman Sapian on Dec 21, which left the Johor government with only a one-seat majority in the state assembly.

Penang has 40 state seats, 35 of which held by Pakatan Harapan comprising DAP with 19 seats, PKR (14) and Parti Amanah Negara (two).

Bersatu and Barisan Nasional have two seats each, while PAS has one seat.

In the span of two years, Malaysia has witnessed three state elections, beginning with Sabah on Sept 26, 2020, Malacca on Nov 20, 2021, and Sarawak on Dec 18, 2021.

Earlier, Chow, together with the state’s Environment and Welfare Committee chairperson Phee Boon Poh, Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairperson Yeoh Soon Hin, Youth and Sports Committee chairperson Soon Lip Chee, Penang DAP secretary Lim Hui Ying and several Penang state assemblypersons visited Penang's Bernama office to distribute mandarin oranges in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year celebration.

- Bernama