KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he agreed to hold snap polls this year without conditions.
The Prime Minister said that he reached a consensus as one of the top five of the Umno leadership on Friday night (Sept 30) as there was a need to return the mandate to the people as soon as possible.
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“We (Umno top five) have always stated that there is a need to hasten the general election as we want to return the mandate to the people.
“I did not give any conditions. We have the Umno top five meeting, the political bureau meeting and the supreme council meeting before we decide.
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“If there is a good basis to hold the snap polls, we will agree to it, that was our stand.
“As for the date (of dissolution of Parliament), please wait. You have waited since last year, you can wait a little more this year,” said Ismail Sabri.
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He was speaking to the media after attending a special gathering of 1,500 teachers organised by the National Union of Teaching Profession at Matrade here on Saturday (Oct 1).
On Friday, the Umno supreme council stated that the Prime Minister would be meeting the Yang di-Pertuan Agong soon to advise on the date for Parliament's dissolution this year to pave the way for the next general election.
This came after months of insistence by Umno leaders led by party president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to hold the snap polls, despite reasoning by some that it would be unwise to hold the elections during the monsoon season due to floods.
