Kit Siang: Agong can block GE15 from being held during monsoon season

 

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong has the discretionary power to block the next general election if it is held during the monsoon season when people's safety is at stake, said DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang.

In a statement today, the Iskandar Puteri MP said the ruler will have a valid reason to do so as stated in Article 40(2)(b) of the Federal Constitution which confers on the Agong the discretionary power of “withholding of consent to a request for the dissolution of Parliament”.

"Will the Agong, for the first time in Malaysian history, withhold consent to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s irresponsible request for the dissolution of Parliament regardless of the heavy costs to properties and lives in a monsoon and flood season?

"This possibility must now be seriously considered as Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stated that party leaders are prepared to wade through flood waters if the next general election is held during the monsoon and flood season.

"I said yesterday that the country suffered colossal losses of up to RM6.5 billion due to floods in the Klang Valley and multiple states last year which claimed 54 lives," he said.

Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang

Lim then asked if Zahid still insists on going to the polls during the monsoon season, regardless of the cost to properties and lives.

Zahid courted flak for saying BN is prepared to wade through floods if the 15th general election (GE15) is held during the monsoon season.

Coming to Zahid's defence, BN’s Ketereh MP Annuar Musa said the BN chairperson's statement was misinterpreted.

He said Zahid was actually referring to the preparedness of BN election machinery to face the GE15 in any given situation. - Mkini