PETALING JAYA, Oct 12 — Pakatan Harapan (PH) communications director Fahmi Fadzil today confirmed that Penang has asked for its state legislative assembly to be dissolved concurrently with Parliament for the 15th general election (GE15).
He said the request was being discussed by the PH presidential council and a decision would be announced “within 48 hours.”
“A request has been made by our friends from Penang, so that was raised during the discussion.
“We have discussed it and some specifics are being reviewed. God willing, the PH leadership, whether the presidential council or at the state level, will make an announcement soon,” he told reporters when met in front of PKR headquarters today.
Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the party would be discussing the matter during its own meeting tonight.
However, he told reporters that any decision for Penang would be extended to Selangor and Negri Sembilan so long as a consensus had been reached among all PH component parties.
“The PH decision must apply to all three states.
“That is the principle we are trying to adhere to,” he said when asked if Penang would be allowed to dissolve its state legislative assembly independent of other PH-helmed states.
Last night, Penang DAP asked the party’s central leadership to review the decision not to dissolve the state assembly along with Parliament.
As for other PH-helmed states, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari confirmed yesterday, after an audience with the Sultan, that his state’s legislative assembly would not be dissolved but would carry on with its duties as previously agreed.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun today said that despite state PH’s decision not to dissolve the state legislative assembly at the same time as Parliament, he would leave the final decision to the coalition’s presidential council.
Last week, the PH presidential council said Selangor, Negri Sembilan and Penang would not be dissolving their state legislative assemblies this year due to concerns about floods during the monsoon season.
The PH presidential council in a statement issued on October 5 said the decision was made following a discussion with the respective mentri besar on Wednesday.
PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when met during a press conference in Parliament on Wednesday, said all three leaders had stated that their priority was preparing for possible floods during the north-east monsoon and finding ways to ease the burden of the people should this occur.
