[UPDATED] Pakatan to review decision not to dissolve state assemblies 

KUALA LUMPUR – Pakatan Harapan (PH) is currently reviewing its previous decision not to dissolve the state legislative assemblies held by the coalition, following a request made by Penang. 

The matter was deliberated in today’s PH presidential council meeting, although an official announcement is only expected to be made within the next couple of days, according to the coalition’s communications director Fahmi Fadzil. 

“We discussed the matter, and at the moment, there are several specific issues that are being reviewed,” he told reporters here today. 

“God willing, in the near future, the PH leadership will make an announcement… There were requests from our friends from Penang. As such, the issue was discussed.” 

Asked if any decision will only affect Penang, Fahmi said: “No, we will announce our collective stand in the near future. We hope within the next 24 or 48 hours.”

When pressed for further clarification, he reiterated that an official announcement on the matter will be made soon, but did not elaborate on whether the review is part of a larger election strategy. 

The PH presidential council had previously announced that states under its administration will not dissolve their assemblies in line with Parliament’s dissolution on Monday, which paves the way for a general election to be held within 60 days. 

The coalition had protested the holding of an election during the seasonal floods period and argued that focus should be on the rakyat. 

However, the Penang government is said to be split on whether to conduct the state polls separately from the federal one, with the state’s DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow referring the matter to the PH presidential council.

Selangor and Negri Sembilan, meanwhile, have insisted that their state elections will not be held simultaneously with the general election this year, although today’s meeting might change this. 

On Muda’s inclusion into PH, Fahmi said the matter was similarly discussed in today’s three-hour meeting and that there is positive progress on this front. 

“The council has received a report on this. Progress is positive, but we will have to wait for further announcement on the next step. It’s looking positive. 

On Monday, The Vibes had quoted sources as saying that PH will enter into an electoral pact with Muda in the upcoming general election, with such strategy being seen as more practical and realistic.

The initial proposal to include Muda as an official component of the coalition was supposedly put on hold due to the proximity and urgency of the polls. 

On a separate matter, Fahmi said today’s meeting had also decided to move forward the PH Convention, initially scheduled for October 29, to October 20, the same day the Election Commission is expected to announce the date of the election. 

The programme will take place in Perak, although the finer details will only be informed later, he added. – The Vibes, October 12, 2022