CM rules out snap polls in Penang, to wait for general election after July

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 4 — Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said Penang will not rush into a state election, opting to wait for general election to be called after July as per the agreement in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan.

He said other states may have called for snap polls but in Penang, the situation is different.

“Although this has been discussed before, it is not necessary as we still have slightly more than a year left and we still have strong support at the legislative assembly,” he said.

He added that the MoU agreement between PH and the government was to hold the general election after July this year once the two amendments to the federal constitution have been approved in Parliament.

“PH will still hold on to the timeline decided in the MoU, as the agreement is linked to the amendments to the federal constitution,” he told reporters at Island Glades here.

He said the first amendment is the anti-party hopping law as party hopping was the main cause of the current political instability in the country.

“We need this law to be approved so that we will not be faced with a situation where a government was chosen and given the mandate only to be toppled due to party hopping,” he said.

He said it is important that the new law is approved by March along with the 10-year term limit for the prime minister’s position.

He said these two amendments to the constitution are important for the country’s political stability.

He said PH had to enter into the MoU at the risk of losing support from its voter base to ensure that there will not be a repeat of a government being toppled due to party hopping.

“If these are not done, what’s happening now will still continue even with general elections and we will be back to square one,” he said.

He said PH and DAP will have to explain to its supporters the importance of the MoU for the sake of the country’s political stability and democracy.

He said even with the law in place, some might still decide to switch parties anyway.

He told voters that they can lose faith with individual leaders and parties even but they should not lose faith in the country’s democratic system and for the future of their children and grandchildren.

“So, don’t lose hope and refuse to vote but instead, use your vote wisely to uphold our democratic system,” he said.

On whether DAP is prepared to defend its incumbency in Penang, Chow said they are already gearing up for it as July is only five months away.

“We need to be ready for the elections, even though our candidates’ list is not ready yet, we have to prepare ourselves for the elections so that we are not caught off guard,” he said.

To counter possible waning support among its voters, Chow said they will go into the elections to seek a new mandate based on the state’s performance as the incumbent government.

“We are in election to tell the voters how much we have achieved and done and to bring new hope and promises if we get a fresh mandate,” he said.