KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Instead of keeping the nation on tenterhooks, Prime Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob should put an end to speculations about having a general election this year so Malaysians can concentrate on the monsoonal flood relief efforts, DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng said today.

The Bagan MP said that the prime minister should take the advice of the Malaysian Meteorological Department not to hold an election (GE15) when several areas of the country would be facing the monsoon from November next month till March next year.

"Ismail Sabri should publicly abandon the selfish efforts by Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for early general election this year despite the risk to lives and property from severe flooding, by announcing once and for all that the general election will be held after March next year when the monsoon season is over,” Lim said in a statement.

"He might as well abolish the meteorological department if he refuses to listen to their advice not to hold the GE15 this year,” he added.

MetMalaysia deputy director-general (strategic and technical) Mohd Hashim Mohd Anip was reported saying that the general election should not be held this year, because there will be many locations throughout Malaysia that will face flooding.

Hashim said the monsoon, which is expected to begin mid-November and end in March next year, would likely see in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, continuous heavy rains between November and December.

Such rain spells are expected in Johor, Sabah and Sarawak between December this year and February next year. Heavy rains can also occur in the west coast of the peninsula.

The country has been gripped with rumours of an early election following Ismail Sabri’s meeting with the King yesterday.

The pressure comes predominantly from Ismail Sabri’s own Barisan Nasional coalition, while most other parties have stated it would not be prudent to hold it soon given the monsoon which has in the past displaced tens of thousands of people.

Lim had previously also said that the uncertainty of the election has stunted economic investments for the country and also government operations.