Govt prioritises effective administration over early election talk - Anwar

PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed that his administration’s immediate priority is governing the country effectively rather than focusing on calls or speculation regarding the timing of the next general election.

His remarks came amid renewed political discussion following the dissolution of the Johor State Legislative Assembly earlier this week, which has paved the way for a state election and fuelled questions over whether a similar move could precede the 16th General Election.

When asked whether he intended to advise the dissolution of Parliament to trigger an early national poll, Anwar declined to indicate any such intention.

“It is their decision. We (the government) have our own priorities. We are focused on our work (governing the country),” he said when met by reporters after launching the Energy Transition Conference at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) today.

The Prime Minister was responding to questions on whether the federal government might follow Johor’s lead after the state assembly was dissolved earlier this week.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi had announced on Monday that the state assembly would be dissolved with effect from the following day, clearing the way for the 16th Johor state election.

Under Malaysia’s electoral framework, the Election Commission (EC) is required to hold a state election within 60 days of the dissolution of a state assembly.

At the last Johor state election in March 2022, Barisan Nasional (BN) secured a commanding victory with 40 of the 56 seats, enabling it to form the state government.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) won 12 seats, with DAP securing 10, while PKR and Amanah each won one seat. Perikatan Nasional (PN) obtained three seats, and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) secured one seat.

The Prime Minister’s comments underscore the federal government’s position that administrative priorities and policy delivery remain central, even as political developments at state level continue to shape the national discourse ahead of the next general election cycle. - June 4, 2026