SEREMBAN: There will be no snap polls in at least six states in the event Parliament is dissolved anytime soon, says Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (pic).
He said the leaders of these states had, during a Conference of Rulers meeting, indicated they had no plans to dissolve their respective state assemblies if an election is called at the federal level.
Aminuddin, who accompanied state ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir at the two-day meeting last week, said he was one of the leaders who made such an indication but declined to name the other five.
“I had discussions with these leaders and they said as of now, their respective state assemblies will only be dissolved once their term is up.
“However, I am in no position to say who the other five are,” he said.
Asked whether these were states governed by Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional, Aminuddin merely smiled and said:
“Mungkin, mungkin, mungkin (maybe).”
Despite his non-committal response, these states are believed to be Selangor, Penang, Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.
Selangor and Penang are ruled by Pakatan Harapan while the Mentris Besar of Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu are from PAS.
Aminuddin said the issue of dissolving Parliament and calling for snap polls should not arise now as there were some within Barisan Nasional who were also against such a move.
“There are some within Barisan who also want us to finish our term. So there is no issue actually,” he said.
On Feb 12, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor had dismissed speculation that his state government would fall, saying that Umno did not have enough seats to make demands.
PAS also controls 21 of the 32 state seats in Terengganu and 37 of the 45 in Kelantan.
DAP national organising secretary Anthony Loke Siew Fook, who is Seremban MP, spoke in the Dewan Rakyat last week, saying that the memorandum of understanding between Pakatan and the government should be extended beyond its July 31 expiry date.
He said a general election should not be held anytime soon in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, citing the election candidates who got infected during the Melaka polls.
Instead, he said the polls could be held after the Parliament session ends in December.
On a separate matter, Aminuddin said he had yet to decide if he would contest the top post in the Port Dickson division during the PKR polls due next month.
In January, Aminuddin had moved his party membership from Tampin. He was then the division chief.
Following this, incumbent Port Dickson PKR division chief Datuk M. Ravi said he would be defending his post.
Ravi, who is a three-term assemblyman and state assembly Deputy Speaker, had said that he was surprised to learn that Aminuddin had transferred his membership to Port Dickson.