Free and fair elections advocate Bersih has urged DAP to reconsider before proceeding with the rumoured snap election in Penang.

It said it was was "extremely concerned" by the rumours, and demanded the party explain the purpose and necessity for an early state election to voters.

"We strongly urge DAP to take more time to consult and rethink about holding a snap election, when the nation is presently crying for clear statesmanship in dealing with issues of governance and resolution for economic burdens.

"As a political party that claims to be accountable, this is the time for DAP to engage with the voters and to give an acceptable response, otherwise they should abandon the idea of a snap election," it said in a statement today.

This comes as Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng was expected to attend PKR's political bureau meeting in Kuala Lumpur tonight, reportedly to get feedback about plans to call for an early election.

This is amid heavy pressure on Lim, who has been slapped with two corruption charges.

Two options

Previously, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy told Malaysiakini that DAP had shortlisted two options in response to the two corruption charges against Lim.

Ramasamy said one was to call for a snap election to gauge the people's response to the charges, while the other was to wait for the general election to be called, no later than August 2018.

Lim is charged with the rezoning of a plot of land in Balik Pulau from agriculture to residential use, which the prosecutors said was done to benefit one of the landowners, businesswoman Phang Li Koon.

Lim chaired the state planning committee that approved the rezoning, which was later rejected by the Penang Island City Council.

Phang is also the previous owner of the bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn, which Lim purchased for RM2.8 million, purportedly at below its market value.

Phang has also been charged, together with Lim, with abetting him in purchasing the property at below market value, which is an offence in the Penal Code for a public official.

Both Lim and Phang have pled not guilty.