GE15: Kedah, T'ganu accept decision not to dissolve state assemblies as Penang waits

KUALA LUMPUR: Pas leaders in Kedah and Terengganu have accepted the party's decision not to dissolve their respective state legislative assemblies, while DAP leaders in Penang are still hoping that theirs can be dissolved for elections to be held simultaneously with the 15th General Election (GE15).

"We are going along with the PAS Central Working Committee's decision on the matter of dissolution," said Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor when met by reporters after chairing the State Executive Council Meeting at the Sungai Petani Kedah Municipal Council Complex (MPSPK) yesterday.

The Pas Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at the PAS Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, among other things, decided against dissolving the state assemblies of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar also concurred.

"The Terengganu state government fully supports the PAS CWC's decision issued today," he said in a statement last night.

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow maintained his stance on dissolving the state assembly so that the state elections could run concurrently with GE15.

He said the Penang DAP had made every effort to convince the party's central leadership to bring the issue to the PH Presidential Council meeting.

"I attended PH's central meeting yesterday, and was informed that the matter is being considered," he said.

Chow, who is also Penang DAP chairman, said the factors that led to the proposed dissolution of the state assembly were due to calls by the rakyat as well as making logistics simpler if the state and parliamentary elections were held simultaneously.

On Wednesday, PH chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said although the three PH-led states of Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor were still tied to an earlier decision by the Presidential Council not to dissolve the state assemblies, they had been told to hold detailed discussions with their component party leaderships to find common ground on the matter.

-- BERNAMA