Published: Tuesday September 18, 2012 MYT 5:31:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday October 16, 2012 MYT 2:57:33 PM

Khalid Ibrahim: Holding separate polls not a certainty

By TEH ENG HOCK

SHAH ALAM: It is not a certainty that Selangor will hold separate state and parliamentary elections, said Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

He said all the talk about election dates were merely speculative and no decision had been made on the exact date to dissolve the Selangor state legislative assembly.

"We don't know when the elections will be. There have been many speculations and all the answers you get are speculative," Khalid told reporters after presenting a prize to Arkitek Jururancang Sdn Bhd for the winning design for the new state secretariat building.

He said there were pros and cons with having simultaneous or separate polls for state and parliamentary seats.

"Now it's all about strategy. The federal government has also changed the date of polls many times.

"If they do it on March 8 next year, then we won't have separate polls," said Khalid in reference to the polling date of the previous general election in 2008.

When pointed out that Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said that Selangor would not hold snap elections, which had been deduced as a sign that Selangor would hold separate state and federal polls, Khalid explained that Anwar was only explaining the political strategy of Pakatan Rakyat.

"He also does not know when parliamentary elections are going to be held. So how can he know if it will be simultaneous or not?" he said.

On the state government's campaign to authenticate new voters, Khalid said 80% had been verified but another 50,000 could not be reached.

"We will find other ways to get to the remaining 50,000 to make sure they are legitimate voters," he said.

On his refusal to debate with MCA Young Professionals Bureau chief Datuk Chua Tee Yong on the Talam issue, Khalid said he was only prepared to discuss issues related to policies.

On July 3, Chua challenged the Selangor government to explain how its exercise to recover a RM392mil debt from Talam ended in questionable deals worth over RM1bil.

The state government is said to have obtained a grant of RM392mil and acquired additional assets worth RM284mil from Talam - bringing the total acquisition to RM676mil.

This RM676mil purchase of assets was said to be part of the RM1bil questionable deal.

News

Published: Tuesday September 18, 2012 MYT 5:31:00 PMUpdated: Tuesday October 16, 2012 MYT 2:57:33 PM

Khalid Ibrahim: Holding separate polls not a certainty

By TEH ENG HOCK

Published: Tuesday September 18, 2012 MYT 5:31:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday October 16, 2012 MYT 2:57:33 PM