Bersatu info chief foresees more snap polls triggered by Umno 'court cluster'
Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan predicts that Umno's "court cluster" may trigger more state elections after the dissolution of the Johor state assembly today.
Likewise, Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong also blamed the group led by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the latest snap election...
Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan predicts that Umno's "court cluster" may trigger more state elections after the dissolution of the Johor state assembly today.
Likewise, Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong also blamed the group led by Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the latest snap polls.
Johor is set for a fresh election after incumbent menteri besar Hasni Mohammad - who is from Umno - secured royal assent to dissolve the state assembly today.
In a statement, Wan Saiful (above) said the move was an attempt by the court cluster - named so for the leaders being charged for corruption - whose members were trying to bolster their positions while also distracting from their trials.
"Maybe the court cluster is getting more desperate and feels that one way to escape prison is to destroy the separation of powers.
"To do so... they must seize power first. I would not be surprised if Johor is followed by other states," he added.
He said this in reference to allegations by Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin that Umno leaders had wanted him to intervene in their court cases.
Umno and Bersatu were partners in the state government, although they will more than likely be competing against each other in the upcoming state polls.
'Snap polls result of power struggle'
In a separate statement, DAP's Liew claimed that the Johor polls were an attempt by Zahid's faction to trigger a snap election at the federal level.
"The Johor election has nothing to do with the people's needs. It is the result of a power struggle in Umno.
"Simply put, this sudden election in Johor is just the first salvo to open the path for a snap general election and is just a strategy for (former premier) Najib (Abdul Razak) and Zahid to escape prison," he said.
Zahid is on trial for two corruption cases.
The court is set to decide whether the former deputy prime minister has to enter his defence in one case involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi on Monday.
Najib is on trial for the 1MDB and SRC International scandals.
The Court of Appeal last month upheld his guilty verdict in the SRC case.
The official pretext for the Johor snap polls was that the state government had become fragile after Kempas assemblyperson Osman Sapian died last month, leaving Hasni with just a single-seat majority.
