Consider dissolving all assemblies in PH-led states, says Ramkarpal

 

Incumbent Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh says there is nothing unprincipled in holding concurrent elections as doing so will be in the interests of the rakyat. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A DAP leader has urged Pakatan Harapan (PH) to consider dissolving the legislative assemblies of all three states it governs in line with Parliament’s dissolution to make way for simultaneous parliamentary and state elections.

DAP national legal bureau chairman Ramkarpal Singh said PH should not burden the people by holding separate parliamentary and state elections since Putrajaya has forced the nation into the 15th general election (GE15).

“We are forced to consider state elections now because of the selfish decision of the federal government in calling for parliamentary elections.

“As the rakyat have to come out and vote for MPs anyway, why not vote for both state assemblymen and MPs as well?” he said in a statement.

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The incumbent Bukit Gelugor MP said he had gone to the ground in Penang, and the people have made it known that they do not want separate elections.

“There is nothing unprincipled in holding concurrent elections now as it is certainly in the interests of the rakyat.

“The rakyat will understand that we are forced to do this as it was the federal government which forced GE15 upon us in the first place,” he said.

Last night, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party had yet to agree on dissolving the Penang assembly after chairman Lim Guan Eng called on PH to be open to holding parliamentary and state elections concurrently.

Previously, FMT reported that DAP and PKR were at odds over whether the three PH-controlled states – Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan – should hold their elections simultaneously with the federal polls.

On Tuesday, Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah wanted the state government to complete its full term.

However, the sultan’s private secretary, Munir Bani, clarified yesterday that Amirudin had never sought royal consent to dissolve the state assembly during his audience on Oct 11.

Negeri Sembilan has announced that it would most likely hold its state election next year, although it is waiting for the PH presidential council’s decision. - FMT