August the best month to hold state elections
MOHD FAIZUL HAIKA MAT KHAZI
SHAH ALAM - The former Election Commission (EC) Deputy Chairman, Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar has predicted that state elections (PRN) in six states namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan will be held simultaneously in early August.
According to Wan Ahmad, the decision is very significant because the end of the term of administration of some State Legislative Assembly (DUN) such as Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu will reach maturity and automatically dissolve at the end of June.
According to him, three other DUNs such as Kedah, Negeri Sembilan and Penang which will dissolved on their own in July and August, are expected to follow in the footsteps of Selangor, Kelantan and Terengganu to make it easier for the EC to set the date for the state elections to be held simultaneously.
"When the DUN dissolves by itself after its expiry or is dissolved, the Federal Constitution stipulates that the EC has a period of 60 days to prepare and hold an election to elect a new representative," he said when contacted by Sinar on Thursday.
The state elections is also expected to be the first test to measure the people's acceptance of the Unity Government a coalition consisting of Pakatan Harapan (PH), Barisan Nasional (BN) and various other parties led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim after six months in office.
For the record, the Selangor state assembly will dissolve itself after June 25; followed by Kelantan (27 June), Terengganu (30 June 2023); Kedah (July 3), Negeri Sembilan (July 1) and finally, Penang (August 2).
Wan Ahmad said, the EC also needs to take into account the factor of the last flight of Muslims from Malaysia returning from performing the Hajj on August 2, before determining the voting day.
He said this would be a significant move to avoid controversy and to avoid the issue being used as a political warfare.
"If the voting day is set after the date of the pilgrims' last flight back from the Holy Land, then there will be no controversy and the people will not blame us for not being able to vote.
"The voting date at the beginning of August is suitable because after that the government will be busy preparing to celebrate the country's Independence Day which falls on August 31 every year," he said.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, political analyst Dr Mazlan Ali also echoed Wan Ahmad's views.
Mazlan said he believes that the earliest state assembly to be dissolved would be Selangor, which would be in the third week of June, followed by other states, while the candidate nomination date may be set in mid-July.
He added, according to tradition, the EC will issue an election writ after the two-week period of Parliament or State Assembly is dissolved to enable them to hold a meeting to determine important dates including candidate nomination day, campaign periods and voting day.
"If you ask me when is the appropriate date for the state elections to be held, then the answer is after the end of the Hajj season and all our pilgrims have returned.
"However, the final decision on the appropriate date for the state election to be held rests under the EC's discretion as long as it does not exceed 60 days before the State Assembly or Parliament is dissolved or dissolves itself as stipulated by the Constitution," he said.
In terms of political strategy, if the state elections is held in early August, Mazlan believes it will give the government an advantage because many outside voters, especially residents of Kelantan and Terengganu, would likely not go back to their hometowns to vote.
He explained this was because most had gone back to their hometowns already to celebrate to Hari Raya AIdiladha on June 29 and 30th.
"If the total turnout is low and voters do not return to vote, then it will give BN an advantage in seizing many seats from Perikatan Nasional (PN) in Kelantan and Terengganu, in the upcoming state elections," he said.
In the meantime, Mazlan also did not rule out the possibility that the nomination date would be set on a normal day, while the voting day would be on a Sunday to make it easier for the public, especially those who need to travel to vote.
