Melaka CM may seek to dissolve state assembly if moves to topple state govt continue

MELAKA: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali may seek an audience with Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Dr Mohd Ali Rustam to dissolve the state legislative assembly if moves to topple the state government continue.

A Perikatan Nasional insider told The Star that Sulaiman has to make a bold move as attempts are allegedly being made to form a new administration, supposedly orchestrated by certain disgruntled lawmakers within Umno and the Opposition.

The insider also revealed that a former top official who served the state government during Pakatan Harapan’s administration has called up his previous colleagues who are still serving various departments at the state administration hub in Seri Negeri, Ayer Keroh, and telling them that the previous government was returning to power on Monday (Oct 4).

Hence, the insider felt Sulaiman's best option was to dissolve the state assembly to enable a state election to be held in a bid to end the political stalemate.

Melaka has 28 state constituencies and Perikatan Nasional currently has the support of 17 lawmakers.

There is talk that 15 lawmakers - four each from Umno, DAP and Amanah as well as an Independent assemblyman and one each from PKR and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia - are ready to cross-over to a new coalition.

All of them had allegedly signed statutory declarations (SDs) on Thursday (Sept 30) at a venue in Jalan Gasing in Petaling Jaya during a special meeting.

On Friday (Oct 1), top Pakatan leaders, including from the federal level, had attempted to seek an audience with Ali but were not successful.

Attempts to reach Sulaiman were also futile as the Chief Minister is said to have convened an emergency meeting with various stakeholders to discuss the attempts to topple his administration.

However, fresh information from a Pakatan insider indicates that four Opposition lawmakers had decided to retract their SDs at the eleventh hour on Friday (Oct 1) as they felt those who had betrayed the former Pakatan-led state government are trying to lobby for top positions in the planned new state government.

The Opposition lawmakers also felt the move would add fuel to an already combustible political situation in the state and derail aid programmes for locals impacted by Covid-19.