KUALA LUMPUR: If will cost the government more than RM420mil if Selangor, Penang, Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu do not hold their respective state polls concurrently, says Ramkarpal Singh.
The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) said higher cost would be incurred as there would need to be repeated planning for separate state polls.
"It is better to hold concurrent state elections," said Ramkarpal during his winding-up speech on Budget 2023 at the committee stage in Parliament on Monday (March 13).
Ramkarpal said it is estimated that the six state polls will cost RM420mil if held concurrently.
Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) interjected and urged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) to ensure Perikatan Nasional states hold their state polls concurrently with states under Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional.
"This is so we can save the nation's funds for the people," said Sim.
It was reported in February that the six states whose polls are due this year have reached an understanding to dissolve their respective state assemblies in the last two weeks of June.
Meanwhile, Ramkarpal held various engagement sessions with stakeholders on the proposal to reintroduce the Parliamentary Services Act (PSA).
"The Attorney General's Chambers will decide on the amendments based on policy parameters decided by the Cabinet," added Ramkarpal.
The PSA was first enacted in 1963, just a few months before the formation of Malaysia.
The PSA allows Parliament to act as an independent body running its own affairs such as selecting its own staff and managing its expenditure.
However, the Act was repealed in 1992.
Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul had said that the re-enactment of the PSA are among his key reform agendas for Parliament.
