20 10月 Inability to reach consensus by Pakatan on simultaneous state polls only adds to instability
Press statement by MCA Spokesperson Mike Chong Yew Chuan
Inability to reach consensus by Pakatan on simultaneous state polls only adds to instability
From originally declaring that all three Pakatan states ie Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will not dissolve their state assemblie at year end, such an announcement is not convincing given news reports that the DAP-led Penang state government is having cold feet on sticking to this declaration. This came about after the Selangor Menteri Besar announced that the Selangor state assembly would not be dissolved. The dithering by the Penang state administration so swiftly after its bold media statement indicates its indecisiveness and non-consensus with its Pakatan coalition. These are signals that should Pakatan recapture Putrajaya, the political situation will not bode well for Malaysia and our nation can look forward to further episodes of instability, FDIs exiting or Bursa Malaysia taking a tumble.
Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri announced the dissolution of Parliament on 10 October 2022 in preparation of the 15th general election (GE15). However, merely two days later, the flippant position by DAP renders the media statement by the Pakatan Harapan Presidential Council a joke.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow claim that the PH Presidential Council has the final say on dissolving the Penang state assembly is obviously obsolete. Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amiruddin Shari claimed that PH maintained the previous meeting decision. Additionally, His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin has accepted the advice and has consented to not dissolve the Selangor state assembly.
According to DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng, although PH does not agree to hold the general elections during the monsoon season, he nevertheless urged voters to teach UMNO and BN a lesson for willing to risk the lives and properties of Malaysians by demanding the 3 PH states to vote twice via simultaneous dissolution of the 3 state assemblies.
This type of coalition that fails to respect the consensus opens up three possibilities, namely:
1) Penang state elections will be held simultaneously with GE15, while the state elections of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will not be concurrent;
2) the state elections of Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will not be held simultaneously with the dissolution of Parliament and GE15;
3) Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will not be dissolving their state assemblies nor holding their state elections simultaneously with GE15.
Irrespective of the situation, should there be any disputes, confusion will likewise arise due to differences in opinions.
Such was the instability which manifested in the 22 months of PH’s rule. The regular u-turns on their policies and pledge which further amplify their moniker that the “Manifesto is not the Bible,” ultimately, it is the common rakyat who suffer.