KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 — Barisan Nasional (BN) election director Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said today there is currently no need for the Kedah state assembly to be dissolved to make way for yet another state election.

Responding to questions over rumours in Kedah — where Umno only held two out of 34 seats — the politician known as Tok Mat said he has not heard any move to force a state election as what happened in Melaka and Johor.

"If anything happens in Kedah don’t blame me, but for now I’m hearing nothing,” he told reporters after attending MCA’s Chinese New Year celebration here.

"And for me, there is no need [for a state election now]. We should not play with the elections unless there is an important need.”

The event was also attended by among others Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Cabinet members such as Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and convicted former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Mohamad, who is also Umno’s deputy president. said the situation in Kedah is also different from Melaka and Johor — where state elections were held as BN no longer commands a majority.

He gave the example of Melaka, where four assemblymen left BN to wipe out the majority.

"Recently, when one BN member was positive for Covid-19, almost two Bills or motions in the assembly could not be approved, so that the Speaker had to use the Speaker’s vote to approve the Bill.

"So, this can’t happen. The government cannot always be threatened,” he said.

Mohamad, who has been appointed as BN’s election director for the Johor state election. said the coalition is currently in talks to select their candidates and finalise the seats.

"BN will contest in all 56 seats. But in BN we have two or three parties so we will divide the seats as best we can,” he said.

The Kedah mentri besar is currently from PAS, which has recently severed its ties with Umno to work with Perikatan Nasional and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia in Johor. The Islamist party has 15 state assemblymen in Kedah.

The date for the Johor state election will be decided after the Election Commission meets on February 6.

In the Melaka state election late last year, BN won more than two-thirds of the seats against both Pakatan Harapan and Perikatan Nasional.