KUALA LUMPUR – The menteris besar and chief ministers of six states due to hold elections this year have agreed to consider dissolving their respective state assemblies in the last two weeks of June, according to Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari.
In a Facebook post, he said the heads of governments of these states – Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu – met today in Kuala Lumpur and reached this consensus.
“We reached an agreement to consider dissolving our respective state legislatures within the last two weeks of June 2023.
“This understanding will be discussed at our respective party levels before being conveyed to the sultans, Yang DiPertuan Besar, and governors of the respective states,” Amirudin said.
He also posted a photo of the six heads of state governments having tea this afternoon.
Besides Amirudin, others at the tea were Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor, and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.
The Election Commission has said that simultaneous elections in the six states would cost RM450 million, a savings compared with the higher cost of polls held at different times.
Amirudin said the heads of the six state governments met after the Conference of Rulers’ meeting today.
He said he hoped the understanding reached between the six of them can help the people exercise their democratic rights.
The six states did not dissolve their respective assemblies along with Parliament for the 15th general election in November last year.
Of the six, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu are governed by PAS, which is part of the Perikatan Nasional coalition and is the federal opposition.
Penang, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan are ruled by Pakatan Harapan, which leads the federal unity government.
Selangor and Kelantan must dissolve their assemblies by June 26 and June 28, respectively, while Terengganu, Negri Sembilan, and Kedah have until July 1, July 2, and July 4, respectively.
Penang’s legislature has until August 2, when its current term expires.
If the consensus by all six states reached today is kept, state elections can be held simultaneously. – The Vibes, February 22, 2023
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