Ramkarpal: Hold state polls, rakyat will know we were forced

Ramkarpal Singh has appealed to the Pakatan Harapan leadership to reconsider the decision not to seek the dissolution of the state assemblies it controls.

The incumbent Bukit Gelugor MP felt that holding state polls separately from the general election would be imposing an additional burden on the people.

According to the DAP legal bureau chairperson, the people in Penang do not want separate elections.

“I have been on the ground in Penang... Their wish to hold state and Parliament elections concurrently is overwhelming,” he added in a statement this afternoon.

Yesterday, Malaysiakini reported that DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng and secretary-general Anthony Loke have differing views on the matter.

Lim, a former Penang chief minister, wanted simultaneous polls for the DAP-controlled state but Loke preferred to adhere to the Harapan stand.

Meanwhile, Ramkarpal (above) believes the people would understand that Harapan was forced into the situation if the state assemblies were dissolved.

“No doubt, Harapan states did announce they will hold their elections next year but surely, this announcement was made in the context of avoiding a general election amid possible floods at the end of this year.

“But now that the federal government has forced us into a general election where the rakyat have no choice but to come out to vote despite the real possibility of adverse weather conditions, should these Harapan states burden them more by insisting they come out to vote again next year for state elections?

“Let me make it very clear. Harapan is against the elections being held now and we have stated our reasons for this many times.

“But we are forced to consider state elections because of the selfish decision of the federal government in calling for parliamentary elections now.

“This means that the rakyat have no choice but to come out to vote,” he added.

Rakyat will understand

Ramkarpal conceded that dissolving the state assemblies would provide fodder for Harapan’s political rivals.

“The opposition (in these states) will say that we have no principles by reneging on our decision to hold state elections next year.

“But really, let’s ask ourselves who caused this?

“There is nothing unprincipled in holding concurrent elections now as it is certainly in the interests of the rakyat.

“The rakyat will understand that we are forced to do this as it was the federal government which forced this ‘flood election’ upon us in the first place,” he added.

PAS also reaffirmed that it would not dissolve the legislatures of Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, which are under its control.

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