KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today that the decision on holding earlier state election in Sabah is solely up to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In a report by The Star Online, the defence minister said he would leave it to Najib to make such a decision, amid rumours of a snap poll in April this year.
“However, as the Umno vice-president, I would like to remind all our members, especially those in the election machinery, to be ready,” he was quoted saying.
“It does not matter whether there will be elections in Sabah, Johor or anywhere else, what is important is that we are ready to face any kind of situation.”
The Star had cited an anonymous source today claiming that Najib has approved the move for a snap poll, but the final decision will be dependent upon a detailed evaluation of all the seats, expected to be ready next month.
Rumours that Sabah Barisan Nasional was keen on holding early elections swirled since June last year following the ruling coalition’s success in the Sarawak state election.
The Star said the idea gained traction after former Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal quit the party in July and went on to form Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) with cross-over politicians from DAP and PKR.
It added that calls by Sabah Chief Minister and Umno state liaison chief Datuk Seri Musa Aman for the party machinery to begin preparations had reinforced the rumour.
In Malaysia, any state may dissolve its legislative assembly independently of Parliament, but in practice, most states coincide their polls with federal elections.
Opposition parties made gains in Election 2013, winning 12 of the 60 state seats and three of the 25 parliamentary seats.
But defections have whittled this down to two federal and four state seats.
Sabah previously held state polls separately from the general election, but has synchronised with federal polls since 2004.
