GEORGE TOWN, Oct 11 — The Penang government is leaving it up to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council to decide the dissolution of its state assembly, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said today.
He added that the PH presidential council will make its decision tomorrow, which will determine whether or not Penang will hold a state poll at the same time as the general election.
“Penang PH has decided that we will refer the issue to the PH presidential council for a final decision,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting at Penang DAP headquarters here this morning.
“During the general election, the party leadership may have daily meetings to make decisions on the next steps to take,” he added.
He said each of the component parties in PH will also refer to their respective national leadership.
“The DAP central executive committee will meet tonight, PKR and Amanah will have their own meetings respectively,” he said.
Separately, Penang PKR deputy chief Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said his party’s presidential council had decided in an emergency meeting last night that the state should not have simultaneous elections.
But he added that the final say lies with the PH presidential council.
Muhammad Bakhtiar said Penang PKR is close to finalising its list of candidates, when asked about its election preparation.
“There are only four PKR parliamentary seats: Balik Pulau, Bayan Baru, Permatang Pauh and Nibong Tebal. So the candidates’ list is pending the final decision by the party president,” he said.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri announced the dissolution of the 14th Parliament ahead of its expiry in July next year, forcing an early general election.
Federal Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously announced that PH-led states – namely Penang, Selangor and Negri Sembilan — would not be holding their state polls concurrently with GE15 if it’s held during the monsoon season.
