Anwar defends Guan Eng over call to dissolve Penang assembly

PETALING JAYA, Oct 13 — Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng who argued for the dissolution of the Penang state assembly now, after the coalition previously decided otherwise.

Although the PH presidential council already announced that states governed by the coalition — Selangor, Penang, and Negri Sembilan — would not dissolve their assemblies if the 15th general election were held this year, Anwar said Lim had his reasons for changing his mind.

He claimed that the decision could also be due to caretaker prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s insistence on calling the GE15 now, despite warnings that it could coincide with predicted floods in the country.

“If we read thoroughly the Lim Guan Eng’s statement, we saw it was layered.

“We are forced to do this. We discussed the pros and cons on not having the state elections the same time as the Parliament, and Penang has its concerns,” he told a press conference at PKR headquarters today.

Earlier today, Malaysiakini reported Lim as arguing that the Penang poll should be held concurrently with the parliamentary election, as demanded by the Penang people.

Lim, a former Penang chief minister, claimed the demand was based on sentiments on the ground.

He said Penang voters generally did not want to hold state and federal elections separately as this would cost a lot of resources and time.

Yesterday, Pakatan Harapan (PH) communications director Fahmi Fadzil said the request was being discussed by the PH presidential council and a decision would be announced “within 48 hours.”

DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the party will discuss the matter in their own meeting.

However, he told reporters that Penang’s decision will be a consensus from all PH parties and will adhere to all PH states including Selangor and Negri Sembilan.

As for other PH-helmed states, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari confirmed on Tuesday, after an audience with the Sultan, that his state’s legislative assembly would not be dissolved but would carry on with its duties as previously agreed.

Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun yesterday said that despite state PH’s decision not to dissolve the state legislative assembly at the same time as Parliament, he would leave the final decision to the coalition’s presidential council.