State polls expected to be held simultaneously - Ahmad Maslan

The much-talked-about elections for six states are expected to be held simultaneously even though the dissolution of the respective legislative assemblies may vary, said Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan.

Ahmad said he is made to understand that several state legislative assemblies will be dissolved automatically this June, based on the five-year period as stipulated in the constitution.

“I understand that the polling day will be held on the same date across all states even though the date of the dissolution of the legislative assemblies may vary.

“Aside from the polling date, nomination day is also expected to be set on the same date.

“But the media would need to confirm this with the Election Commission,” he told reporters in the Parliament today.

Not all states dissolved their respective legislative assemblies when the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the dissolution of Parliament on Oct 10 last year, which paved the way for the 15th general election (GE15).

Umno supreme council member Ahmad Maslan

The states are Pakatan Harapan-led Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan as well as PAS-ruled Kedah, Terengganu and Kelantan.

Meanwhile, only three states - Pahang, Perak and Perlis - held their respective state elections simultaneously with GE15.

Sabah, Sarawak, Malacca and Johor held their state assemblies separately earlier.

Dissolution dates

The term of each state assembly will expire five years after its first sitting following the last state elections, which were all held on May 9, 2018.

This means the election in the aforementioned six states must be held by July this year, depending on when the respective state had its first assembly sitting after the 14th general election.

Several menteris besar had hinted that they would meet with their respective sultan next month to propose the dissolution of the state assemblies.

In February, the leaders of the six states had a meeting and reached a consensus to dissolve their state assemblies in the second half of June.

Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari was reported as saying that he would meet the Selangor sultan in the third week of June to request the dissolution of the state assembly.

The Selangor state assembly is set to dissolve automatically on June 25.

Previously, various dates were proposed by each state.

Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun previously proposed June 1 for the dissolution of the state assembly, Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor proposed June 18, while Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Abdullah mooted automatic dissolution on June 26.- Mkini