Loke proposes simultaneous polls if Parliament dissolved after November

 

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said he would propose to the Pakatan Harapan presidential council to reconsider its previous position for states governed by the coalition to serve its full term.

Loke said Harapan previously expected an earlier snap general election, but with that likelihood diminishing, the coalition should now consider simultaneous polls for Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan if Parliament is dissolved after November.

"At the time (when separate polls were decided), we expected there could be a snap general election in the near future, but now, we see that likelihood is low.

"There is a lot of speculation that, at the earliest, a snap general election will only be held at the end of the year after the budget is tabled.

"If it is held at the end of the year, then there will only be a few months left to the term in our states. So if the general election is held at the end of the year, I am of the view that we shouldn't hold separate polls," he told a press conference in Seremban today.

Loke said if the gap between state polls in Harapan states and the general election is small, then there could be a number of downsides for the coalition.

"If there is no significant time gap, then some voters may think we are wasting resources.

"The turnout may also not be as high as we saw in Johor and Malacca," he said.

Loke explained that voters might not want to return twice to vote for the general election and later for the state election if the gap is small.

"So I will propose to the Harapan presidential council that if Parliament is dissolved at the end of the year, meaning after November, then we should consider simultaneous polls," he said.

Loke said he is also throwing out the idea so that Harapan's grassroots won't take things for granted in terms of election preparation.

"We need to provide a clear message to our grassroots. If not, they may not be in a prepared mindset and may not see the urgency.

"Today, we are clearly telling our grassroots that don't assume we have a year until the election because of Harapan's previous decision.

"Because if the general election is called after November, then we need to consider simultaneous state polls," he said.

In July last year, the Harapan presidential council announced that states governed by the coalition wouldn't dissolve their state assemblies if a snap general election was called.

At the time, the then Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin-led government was facing instability and snap polls were being floated as a resolution.

Muhyiddin resigned in August of that year, paving the way for Umno vice-president Ismail Sabri Yaakob to become the new prime minister.

Ismail Sabri is also facing pressure from his party leadership to call for early polls due to Umno's resurgent position, but the prime minister has kept the cards close to his chest. - Mkini