Win or lose in Johor, Umno to push for GE, says Tok Mat

 

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says fresh elections are being sought to ensure political stability.

SIMPANG RENGGAM: Umno will continue to push for an early general election whether or not Barisan Nasional scores a major victory at the Johor state elections this month, says party deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

He said assumptions that Umno would demand a general election if it won big in Johor were untrue. “Umno deciding to push the prime minister (to dissolve Parliament and trigger a general election) does not come down to its performance (in Johor),” he said.

Umno will urge Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob to dissolve Parliament regardless of whether BN wins big or loses in Johor. “We want to push (for Parliament to be dissolved) but in the end, it is up to the prime minister to decide,” he said at a press conference in Machap.

He said that if the prime minister were to ask the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for Parliament to be dissolved but the King disagreed, it meant that he no longer had trust in the prime minister and by convention, the prime minister should resign.

Mohamad denied allegations that Umno had pushed for the Johor elections and a national general election out of greed for power. It was done to ensure the country’s political stability, he said.

He said there was no guarantee of a big BN victory at a general election. Whichever party or coalition, including Pakatan Harapan, obtains a majority of parliamentary seats would form the government.

“We push for state elections and general elections because we want to restore political stability, not because of greed for power,” he said. “When there is political stability, the people have confidence and leaders can focus on developing the country.” - FMT