IPOH, Oct 12 — Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah today granted an audience to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, most likely for the latter to seek the ruler’s consent to dissolve the State Assembly.

The official car carrying the mentri besar was seen entering the gate to Istana Kinta here at 2.08pm.

Prior to that, cars carrying the State Legal Adviser Datuk Azmir Shah Zainal Abidin and State Secretary Datuk Ahmad Suaidi Abdul Rahim were also spotted entering the palace.

Last Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, after obtaining the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, announced the dissolution of the 14th Parliament to make way for the 15th General Election.

With Parliament dissolution, the prime minister also advised heads of state governments other than Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor, to seek the consent of the rulers and governors to dissolve their respective state assemblies so that the state elections can be held simultaneously with the GE15.

Perak has 59 state seats, 25 of which are held by Barisan Nasional (BN), followed by DAP (15), Amanah (five), Bersatu (four), PAS (three), PKR (three), PBM (three) and Independent (one). — Bernama