KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Former Cabinet minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has advised Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin not to hold elections until the end of the parliamentary term in 2023.

Astro Awani reported the Padang Rengas MP as saying that by doing so, it would give Muhyiddin enough time to stabilise Perikatan Nasional (PN). 

He added that by not dissolving Parliament until 2023, it would also boost foreign investor confidence.

"The prime minister ought to firmly announce that the present government will fulfill its three-year period before the term under the 14th general election is over,” Nazri said in an interview.

The former tourism, arts and culture minister said this is a better alternative to the snap elections being spoken of lately.

"If they conduct a general election now, in terms of preparedness, Parti Pribumi Bersatu clearly is not, since they do not have any grassroots.

"Take, for instance, the recent Chini by-election. It was not that Bersatu did not want to help, but that they had no machinery, not just in Chini but nationwide,” he said.

Nazri said should Muhyiddin announce that PN will continue until its term ends, the daily attendance of all MPs is a must whenever the Dewan Rakyat is in session as a sign of support for the administration.

He was responding to queries on the viewpoints of many, including political analysts, who consider PN to be insufficiently stable for general elections to be held.

Analysts have opined that PN’s instability, especially over the division of parliamentary seats, could affect the coalition’s chances in winning a general election.