KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan has advised Malaysia to hold snap elections, after Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong decided to do so on Tuesday.
The former Negri Sembilan mentri besar, fondly known as Tok Mat, said it would be better for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government under Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to follow suit.
“The decision (made by Lee) was to ensure the ruling government has a good and trusted mandate. Malaysia has not been in such an unstable political situation since Merdeka,” he said in a personal opinion piece today.
Tok Mat argued that Malaysia’s development, prosperity and competitiveness are dependent on its political stability, since this would have a knock-on effect, especially in terms of investor confidence, economic activity and social well-being.
“The present situation makes it very difficult for the government to pass various critical laws, including debating the Budget to bring about Malaysia’s recovery from the current economic downturn.
“All efforts to restore the economy, create jobs and jump-start competitiveness cannot occur without a stable government and a Parliament which can perform its role of checks and balances,” he said.
Tok Mat added that Malaysia cannot continue to be left adrift, with the prospect of changing governments every few months, as this is an unhealthy situation for the nation.
“Only a government with a mandate and comfortable majority in Parliament can function properly, allowing focus on the country’s recovery from a myriad of unprecedented challenges that we currently face.
“Malaysia is a parliamentary democracy, with the real power vested in the rakyat and not with anyone else. Much less with political blocs seemingly formed based on the whims and fancies of politicians,” he said.
The Rantau assemblyman said it is therefore crucial to return power to the rakyat, and let them decide the nation’s road ahead.
Singapore will go to the polls on July 11. In a televised address on Tuesday, Lee said that he had informed President Halimah Yacob to dissolve the country’s Parliament and issue a writ for election.
