PARTI Amanah Negara (Amanah) has reiterated its support for holding Malaysia’s next general election (GE16) and state elections simultaneously, arguing that the move would significantly reduce costs and simplify electoral management.
Amanah Vice-President Datuk Mahfuz Omar said the party has consistently advocated for synchronised elections since the conclusion of the four state elections last year.
“Holding elections simultaneously will lead to substantial savings, not only for the government but also for all contesting political parties.
“After the last four state elections, Amanah proposed that GE16 be held at the same time as state polls. It is the best way to save costs for the nation, the government, and the political parties involved,” he told Sinar Harian.
Mahfuz said the Election Commission (EC) would not need to allocate large budgets repeatedly if all states agreed to hold elections concurrently.
“If elections are held separately, the EC must spend two or three times over. But if they are held together, the expenditure only occurs once. The same applies to political parties — candidates would only need to campaign and spend once,” he said.
He added that simultaneous elections would reflect a genuine commitment to reducing wastage and financial leakages.
“If we are serious about cutting unnecessary expenditure, this is the proof — hold the elections together, not separately,” Mahfuz stressed.
Meanwhile, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Information Chief Datuk Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz described the proposal for concurrent elections as a “prudent move” that would reduce costs and avoid duplication of electoral processes.
“The government may opt for simultaneous elections because separate polls would raise costs and create the risk of misuse of government machinery.
“We also expect the elections to be held earlier and in conjunction with several state polls due to current economic pressures, national debt, cash flow challenges, and the rising cost of living,” he said.
Tun Faisal added that the impact of United States tariff adjustments and the government’s investment commitments in the US economy may not yet be fully felt, but conditions are expected to worsen by 2027.
“Therefore, it is not impossible that the government will take advantage of 2026 to call early elections and secure a new mandate before the economy deteriorates further,” he noted.
Earlier, DAP Secretary-General Anthony Loke also reaffirmed his party’s support for holding both general and state elections simultaneously. - November 4, 2025
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