Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad
JOHOR BARU: The decision to dissolve the state assembly does not require the approval or consent of the component parties that make up the state government, says caretaker Mentri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad.
He said he acted in accordance with Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor 1895 (the Johor state constitution).
“There is no issue of needing to get permission (from other parties). The state election is based on Article 23/2 and Article 23/3 of the Undang-Undang Tubuh Kerajaan Johor 1895, where a state assembly can be dissolved before the five-year term ends.
“Secondly, only the Sultan can dissolve the state assembly. We have abided by these regulations,” he added.
He also said it was not necessary for the Mentri Besar to get approval from state executive councillors.
“The intention to dissolve the state assembly or to get the Sultan’s permission to do so was made known during the state exco meeting.
“However, it is not required for me, as the head of the state government, to get approval from those at the meeting,” he said.
Hasni said this to reporters after attending the closing ceremony of the Johor MIC election machinery briefing session at Kompleks Tan Sri Mohamed Rahmat yesterday.
He was responding to an exco member from Bersatu who claimed that Umno and Barisan Nasional had sidelined Bersatu and PAS when the Barisan-led state government announced the dissolution of the state assembly.
Earlier, Johor Bersatu information chief Mohd Solihan Badri said the decision to dissolve the state assembly was made unilaterally.
Solihan said the decision was done without discussion with the other component parties that made up the state government, namely Bersatu and PAS.
“I’m unsure if it needs the consensus of component member parties of the ruling state government or not, but we were not asked for our views,” he said.
