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Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yacoub dissolved parliament, paving the way for early elections as the ruling coalition called for the vote to be withheld early, citing internal strife.
Ismail announced Monday that it has received the approval of King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. dissolve the current parliament before the expiry of his five-year term in July 2023.
The Malaysian Electoral Commission will set the date for the 15th General Election (GE15). This election must be held within he 60 days from the dissolution of parliament.
“With this announcement, power is returned to the people. The people’s mandate is a powerful antidote to demonstrating political stability and forming a strong, stable and respected government after GE15,” he said. said in a national speech.
“The announcement of the dissolution of parliament was made to put an end to all voices questioning the legitimacy of the alleged backdoor government,” Ismail added. malaysia reserve.
Ismail also called for the dissolution of the provincial legislatures and the holding of provincial elections at the same time as GE15.
“It is right that state elections be held at the same time to ensure a smooth democratic process and reduce overall costs, as well as avoid burdening the public,” he said. rice field.
A total of 222 seats will be contested in GE15 to enable the formation of a new government. Four of his 13 states in the country, including Sabah, Malacca, Sarawak and Johor, had previously held elections.
Ismail’s United Malay National Organization (UMNO), the largest party in the ruling coalition, has battled with allies and opposition parties over a call for elections during the monsoon season, which killed more than 50 people and forced thousands from their homes last year. was
However, UMNO’s top leaders recently decided that elections must be called in order for UMNO to benefit from the support of Malay voters, the disorganized opposition and the expected economic softening next year. did.
2023 Budget
The dissolution comes after the government announced its 2023 budget on Oct. 7, which is expected to allocate RM372 billion ($80 billion) in 2023.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the 2023 budget could be submitted until after elections, despite critics saying it would be futile if parliament was dissolved before the budget was passed. said.
“This has happened before, and you can refer to what happened in 1999. A budget was presented, there was a dissolution, and then a budget was presented again,” he said. told the group. malay mail.
The country has been in a political crisis since February 2020, when the Pakatan Harapan, a reform coalition led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, collapsed in exile.
That coalition was replaced by the Pelikatan National Coalition, led by then-Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who finally resigned in August 2021 after losing a parliamentary majority. Ismail, who had been Muhyiddin’s deputy, was appointed to power, returning the prime ministership to his UMNO.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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