GE15: Penang, S'gor, Negri assemblies will not dissolve, says Pakatan presidential council

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan is standing firm in its decision to not dissolve the state assemblies of Penang, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan.

The Pakatan presidential council announced this following a special meeting on Saturday (Oct 15) morning.

Pakatan Harapan chairman Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this decision was made so that these Pakatan led states could focus on pressing issues, especially the floods,” he told reporters at the PKR headquarters at Merchant Square here.

"Pakatan Harapan gave enough room for discussion on the issue and whatever it is, we came to this decision because we reject the greed of the Government to force the General Elections especially when the Rakyat struggles to face the floods.

"We also want the Government to fully focus on preparations and solutions to alleviate the burden of flood victims," he said.

Anwar said PKR and Amanah had taken the same stand initially while DAP took some time to explain their stand.

He added that DAP Secretary General Anthony Loke ultimately made the decision that Pakatan Harapan and the three states it leads would postpone the state polls together in order to properly handle any floods in these states.

Loke - who also attended the meeting - said DAP held two Central Executive Committee meetings this week to discuss the calls from its Penang leaders and its Chief Minister to allow the state assembly to be dissolved seperately from other Pakatan-led states.

"We conducted discussions and consultations which is why we needed some time. As the Secretary General I needed to make a tough call and disappoint my friends in Penang," said Loke.

He added that if Penang dissolved its state assembly separately, it can be intepreted as a decision to split Pakatan Harapan.

"We cannot give any perception that there are cracks in Pakatan Harapan," he said.