KLANG: The six states that have yet to hold their polls are set to dissolve their assemblies simultaneously sometime in June.
The leaders of the states met yesterday and collectively agreed to consider dissolving their assemblies at the same time.
This was revealed by Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow in Facebook posts after the meeting yesterday.
The two had met with the Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Negri Sembilan Mentris Besar on the sidelines of the Conference of Ruler’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
“Basically, we have come to an agreement to consider dissolving our state assemblies in the last two weeks of June 2023.
“This agreement will of course be conveyed and discussed within the respective parties before it is presented for consent to the Sultans (of Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah), Yang di-Pertuan Besar (of Negri Sembilan) and Governor (of Penang),” said Amirudin.
Chow confirmed in his post that the six leaders had reached an understanding.
Consensus reached: (From left) Aminuddin, Chow, Ahmad, Amirudin, Muhammad Sanusi and Ahmad Samsuri at the meeting in a Kuala Lumpur hotel. — Photo taken from Amirudin Shari’s Facebook page
“This understanding will be conveyed to the respective heads of state and party leaderships.
“As for the date of elections, it is the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission (EC),” he added.
When contacted, Chow said the planned meeting of the six leaders today had been called off since the agreement had been reached. Amirudin had initiated the meeting originally scheduled for today.
The others who were at the meeting were Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob, Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor.
The meeting had been planned to come up with a consensus on dissolving the assemblies at around the same time.
In a TikTok video of an event yesterday, Muhammad Sanusi indicated that the third week of August would be a suitable time to hold the state elections.
He noted that there would be the monsoon season in March as well as the SPM and STPM examinations.
“Then there’s the fasting month in March, followed by Hari Raya Puasa and Hari Raya Haji later.
“So it’s best to hold the elections after the Haj season and the return of pilgrims,” he said.
Amirudin said recently that such an agreement would ease the EC’s burden, as it would not have to hold polls on different days for the six states.
Once the assemblies are dissolved, the elections must be called within 60 days.
Elections in the six states have to be called around July anyway as their terms would be ending around then.
Selangor’s term ends on June 26, Negri Sembilan’s on July 2, Kedah (July 3), Penang (Aug 3), Kelantan (Aug 28) and Terengganu (Sept 1).
Although the Negri Sembilan’s assembly’s term ends on July 2, it will actually dissolve on June 2 as there are no sittings scheduled for this year.
The last time the assembly sat was on Dec 1, 2022, so it will automatically dissolve six months later if there are no sittings held during the period.
Selangor Speaker Ng Suee Lim said it was appropriate to dissolve the state assemblies in June.
Negri Sembilan Speaker Datuk Zulkefly Mohamad Omar confirmed that there would not be any sitting in 2023.
“We don’t have any important agendas to discuss.
“So, we have decided not to have any sitting after our last session between November and December last year,” he added.
Ng said there had been speculation that three states had initially wanted to hold the elections before Hari Raya in April, but it was not possible given the time frame.
Given the circumstances, there wasn’t much choice left other than June for a simultaneous dissolution.
Terengganu legislative assembly Speaker Datuk Yahaya Ali agreed that the best option would be for all the states to dissolve their assemblies on the same date.
“It would be less expensive as well as easier to manage,” he said.
The Terengganu assembly is scheduled to sit on March 15.
