KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — The state election heat continues to intensify as Penang and Terengganu announced that their respective state assemblies will be officially dissolved today.
Kelantan was the first state to have dissolved its state assembly on June 22, followed by Selangor on June 23.
The state assemblies of Penang, Kedah and Terengganu will be dissolved today, leaving Negeri Sembilan being the sole state yet to announce the dissolution of its state assembly.
The dissolution of the 40-seat Penang State Assembly, as announced by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday morning, takes place 35 days earlier than the originally scheduled end of the five-year mandate on August 2.
The latest seat composition in the Penang State Assembly sees Pakatan Harapan (Harapan) holding 33 seats, Barisan Nasional (BN) with two, Bersatu (four), and PAS (one).
Meanwhile, Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar yesterday announced that the 32-seat state assembly would be officially dissolved today, two days before its mandate ends.
In the 14th General Election (GE14), PAS regained control of the state government from BN after winning 22 out of 32 seats in the state assembly, while BN secured the rest.
Kedah had also announced that its 36-seat state assembly would be dissolved today, almost a week earlier than the expiry date of its five-year mandate on July 4th.
The latest seat composition in the state assembly led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor sees Perikatan Nasional (PN) holding 20 seats comprising PAS (14) and Bersatu (six), while Harapan has 10 and BN and Pejuang each has two.
Two other seats were left vacant after PKR’s Gurun assemblyman Datuk Johari Abdul was appointed as Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, while PAS’ Belantek lawmaker Datuk Mohd Isa Shafie died on June 14.
Kelantan, on the other hand, became the first state under PAS to dissolve its state assembly on June 22, six days before its term expires on June 28.
In GE14, PAS dominated the 45-seat state assembly after winning 37 seats, while BN secured eight.
However, Ayer Lanas assemblyman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed later quit Umno to join Bersatu.
On June 23, the 14th Selangor State Assembly was officially dissolved to pave the way for the state polls to be held.
The dissolution was in line with the announcement made by the Sultan of Selangor’s private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani on June 19 upon the consent of the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, who also signed the proclamation on the dissolution of the state assembly.
The composition of the state assembly before the dissolution sees PH holding 40 seats (PKR-19, DAP-15, Amanah-six), BN (five), Bersatu (four), Parti Bangsa Malaysia (two), while PAS, Pejuang, and Warisan have one each, along with one independent representative.
Another seat in Batang Kali, however, was declared vacant after the elected representative failed to attend the assembly sitting for over six months.
At press time, only Negeri Sembilan has yet to announce the dissolution of its state assembly, but Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun had, on June 7, said that the dissolution would probably take place on June 30, the last day of the state assembly’s term.
Aminuddin is scheduled to have an audience with the Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir tomorrow to seek consent for the dissolution of the 36-seat state assembly.
Next, all eyes would be on the Election Commission as state polls must be held within 60 days after the dissolution of the state assemblies.
— Bernama
