KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Three Pakatan Harapan (PH) state leaders, namely Negri Sembilan, Selangor and Penang, have agreed to not hold state elections should the federal government decide to hold the general election during the monsoon period.
This was decided during the PH presidential council meeting held today, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The mentri besar of Negri Sembilan and Selangor and Penang chief minister through DAP’s secretary-general Anthony Loke have shared their views.
“Say if Parliament is dissolved (during the flood period), the decision is that they will focus on addressing issues faced during the floods and to lighten the flood victims’ burden,” Anwar told reporters today after he presented PH’s shadow Budget 2023.
Anwar said it was also decided that the three states will not hold state elections until the flood issues have been resolved, and that would most likely be in February or March.
The Opposition coalition previously said it would be irresponsible for Umno to plan a general election during the monsoon season when severe floods were likely.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has said it expects the monsoon season to start in November and continue until March next year.
On October 1, PH Youth chief Dr Kelvin Yii urged the federal government to stop the “madness” about holding an early general election when floods are expected.
Yii had further condemned Umno politicians for not learning from previous flood disasters in the country, and for ignoring clear and early warnings by MetMalaysia.
