SEREMBAN: States have the absolute discretion to decide when they want to hold elections, say constitutional experts and political analysts.

       International Islamic University Malaysia law professor Assoc Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abdul Aziz said as long as the Mentris Besar or Chief Ministers enjoyed the majority support from their state assemblies, they were free to decide whether they should call for elections.

       “There are no legal implications if they decide to call for snap polls or complete their terms.

       “There is no specific provision in law to suggest that if Parliament is dissolved, their respective state assemblies must be dissolved too,” she said when contacted.

       She was asked to comment on a statement by the Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar that leaders of six states have indicated they would not dissolve their respective assemblies if the Prime Minister decides to call for snap polls.

       Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun was quoted as saying that Negri Sembilan was one of the states that has no plans to go to the polls yet. He refused to reveal the other five. It is believed that they are Selangor, Penang, Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.

       Selangor and Penang are governed by Pakatan Harapan while the Mentris Besar of Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu are from PAS.

       Shamrahayu said there may be political implications from this but she declined to speculate.

       “We have seen Sabah and Sarawak which used to have their state elections at different times previously.

       “So there is nothing unconstitutional if state governments decide when they want to have their own elections,” she added.

       Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Leadership and Management Faculty senior lecturer Dr Mohd Azmir Mohd Nizah said there is no legal provision to state that parliamentary and state elections should be synchronised.

       “What we have been seeing for the past 60 years where these elections have been held simultaneously apart from those in Sabah and Sarawak does not mean they must continue to be held at the same time.

       “This may be a new trend,” he said of the parliamentary and state elections being held at different times.

       He said the state leader can call for an election only after managing to receive the consent of the state ruler.

       Mohd Azmir said when the Dewan Rakyat is dissolved, only the parliamentary seats are affected in an election.

       On the Johor state election, he said if Parliament is dissolved, only the parliamentary seats in Johor will be affected.

       “An election will not be called for the state seats as Johor already had its state assembly election,” he added.

       Asked what the implications were if federal and state elections were held at different times, Dr Mohd Azmir said one consequence is that the Election Commission (EC) will have to spend more to conduct the elections.

       Prof Asan Ali Golam Hassan of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s Azman Hashim International Business School said there would not be much difference if state and federal elections are held separately.

       “The law allows it and I personally do not see any impact to the economy.”