UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) would rather see the 16th general election (GE16) held before the current parliamentary term expires, BN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
Zahid said an earlier election would allow the federal government to seek a fresh mandate from voters, although Umno and BN were prepared should the government decide to let the current term run its full course.
“Personally, I think it would be better if the general election is held earlier so that we can obtain the people’s mandate.
“But if this term runs until its full duration, we are also ready to face it,” he said in an exclusive interview with Media Prima Berhad (MPB).
Zahid, who is also Umno president and deputy prime minister, said the party and BN would use the remaining time to strengthen their preparations for the polls.
He said this was important to ensure Umno and BN remained relevant as the country’s political landscape evolved, particularly against the backdrop of changing regional and global geopolitics.
The remarks echo comments Zahid made in July, when he said the prime minister would take the end of Parliament’s term into consideration in deciding when to call the next general election, particularly if the country’s geopolitical situation changed.
Zahid had also said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as head of the parliamentary council, would consult political parties on whether the election should be called ahead of schedule.
At the time, however, Zahid said no discussions had taken place with Anwar on GE16, citing the complexity of the unity government, which comprises 18 parties across at least five political coalitions.
“In my view, if the geopolitical situation changes, the expiry of the parliamentary term will certainly be taken into consideration by the prime minister, as head of the parliamentary council, when holding consultations with us,” he said in July.
The current 15th Parliament is scheduled to reach the end of its five-year term around December next year. A general election must be held within the period stipulated by the Federal Constitution after Parliament is dissolved.
The 222-seat Dewan Rakyat currently has 76 MPs from Pakatan Harapan (PH), 30 from BN and 68 from Perikatan Nasional (PN).
Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) holds 23 seats, while Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has seven, Warisan three and KDM two. Seven seats are held by independents.
STAR, Parti Bangsa Malaysia (PBM) and Muda each have one seat.
Three constituencies — Pandan, Setiawangsa and Subang — are currently vacant. - September 3, 2026
