Penang government has prerogative to call snap polls - Lim Guan Eng
AFP
July 28, 2016 15:57 MYT
July 28, 2016 15:57 MYT
He said it would have nothing to do with the opposition party in the state if the state were to call an early election.
The DAP-led Penang government has the prerogative to call for snap polls in the state without the need for an
emergency state assembly sitting, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.
He said that according to the state constitution, the present Pakatan government had the power to call an early election and this had nothing to do with the Barisan Nasional.
"BN has done it many times, (called) an early general election in 1978, 1982 and 1986 as, according to the Federal constitution, it has the right and, in Penang, we only need to seek the Governor's (Yang Dipertua Negeri's) blessings," he told reporters after launching the Aspen Group sales gallery in Bandar Cassia
here.
He was responding to Pulau Betong State Assemblyman Mohd Farid Saad, of the BN, who had said yesterday that the state should hold an emergency state assembly sitting to discuss the proposed snap polls.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, said it was nothing new as BN had done it at the federal level, and it would have nothing to do with the opposition party in the state if the state were to call an early election.
The Chief Minister also suggested that Mohd Farid table a motion of no-confidence against the state government or the chief minister if he was not satisfied.
"We are only discussing among our Pakatan coalition (partners) and not discussing with the opposition in the state," he said.
Last Tuesday, PKR President Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail announced that the party was yet unconvinced by the DAP proposal to hold snap polls in Penang.
The issue over the state election was raised when the local media reported that DAP had listed two options following the corruption charges faced by Lim.
One option was to hold a snap election to gauge the Penang citizens' response towards the charges against Lim and the other was to wait for the next general election, due by August 2018.
The Penang state assembly has 40 seats with DAP now holding 19; PKR, 10; Barisan Nasional, 10 and PAS, one.