PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Harapan presidential council has decided not to dissolve the state legislative assemblies for the three states under its control, saying that the focus should be on the floods instead.
“The presidential council hereby announces that Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will not dissolve its respective state assemblies,” it said on Twitter.
PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim said the decision was made to ensure that the state governments were able to focus on providing relief for flood victims.
“Therefore, PKR and Amanah, both of which took the same stand before, and DAP, have finally decided that all three PH states will hold the state elections at a later date.
“This is so that the focus will be on dealing with the floods,” he said.
Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said that the party had met twice to discuss the matter, and the decision was a tough one to make.
“Penang DAP leaders and elected representatives requested leeway to dissolve the state assembly. They said this is so voters don’t have to return twice to cast votes.
“We understand their sentiment, but I have to make this difficult decision and possibly let my party colleagues down in Penang,” he said.
He added that the Penang DAP leadership must understand that if it went ahead with dissolving the state assembly, it will be seen as breaking ranks with the national party leadership as well as its allies in the coalition.
Loke added that this will also give DAP’s enemies a chance to portray the party as one that is not united and cannot make collective decisions.
“That is why, in such a crucial moment where the election is just around the corner, I cannot give our enemies the chance to undermine us,” he said.
