KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob must be firm and consistent in his stance on the upcoming elections (GE15), said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Loke chided Ismail Sabri over the latter’s apparent back-paddling on the possibility of dissolving parliament during his speech at the BN convention yesterday.
Loke, who is Seremban MP, said Ismail Sabri’s remarks on calling for snap polls at the convention contradicted a recent statement he made to a foreign media outlet.
“The point is that the prime minister needs to be consistent and stern in his stance,” Loke said in a statement.
“His ‘flip-flop’ statements and messages will only prolong political instability and further endanger the national economy.”
Earlier this week, Nikkei Asia reported Ismail Sabri as saying that spiralling food prices and the soaring costs of living were among the reasons to resist calling for an election soon.
At the BN convention yesterday, the coalition’s top personalities such as Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and BN advisor Datuk Seri Najib Razak pushed for GE15 to be called immediately.
Responding to their calls, Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming said Ahmad Zahid and Najib’s aggressive push for GE15 bears no consideration for the people.
“I think it is clear even to BN leaders and members that Zahid and Najib want to call for elections soon after the end of the MoU in July of this year in order to save their own skin,” Ong told The Vibes when contacted.
“For (Ahmad) Zahid, it’s about not getting convicted (on current corruption charges) and losing his eligibility as Umno President.”
As for Najib, Ong said the GE15 push was made to apply pressure to the Federal Court for his appeal on graft charges.
Ong also said Ismail Sabri should only dissolve parliament according to the people’s agenda, which is to stabilise the economy and sustain the nation’s growth in 2022.
The DAP politician was referring to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the government and Pakatan Harapan (PH) that bars the dissolution of Parliament before July 31, 2022.
Another PH lawmaker, PKR’s Fahmi Fadzil reiterated that the MoU signed between both parties does not expire by that date.
He also agreed with Ong’s assertions that pressure from Umno and BN leaders towards Ismail Sabri did not take into account the well-being of the people.
“So it’s the dissolution of Parliament that triggers the expiration of the MoU,” the Lembah Pantai MP said.
“I think those who are pressuring PM to quickly dissolve Parliament may have some stake in the timing. So it’s not at all about the rakyat.'” – The Vibes, June 2, 2022
