Guan Eng: Pakatan leadership to decide on Penang polls date

Lim said he did not want to short-change the people over the recently approved state Budget. — File pic

SERDANG, Nov 20 — Lim Guan Eng said today Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) joint leadership will decide whether Penang will hold elections simultaneously with federal polls expected soon. Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had said on Thursday that the state will likely not participate in the upcoming general elections if it is called before June next year.
“That is Tan Sri Khalid’s decision. Of course he has the prerogative to make that decision,” Lim told reporters at the DAP Selangor Annual Convention here.

“But at the same time, even though mentri besar or chief minister has the prerogative, I take a different approach. I want to consult with my other PR partners.”
He said he did not want to short-change the people as the state had just approved its Budget for next year.
Khalid had also denied the Selangor government’s decision was a sign of “insecurity” in its ability to remain in power.
The Bagan MP previously said the Penang government would not dissolve its state assembly should the prime minister decide to call for a snap general election.
One reason, Lim said, was the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) has yet to finish its hearings and propose details on how to reform the nation’s electoral system.
The DAP secretary-general, said that the government has also yet to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) as promised in September.
Lim also said that Najib’s administration should be focused on flood prevention and mitigation towards the end of this year, and not on calling for snap polls.
“Things change all the time. I think we want to have that flexibility,” he said today.
MCA Youth earlier today said PR was not ready for simultaneous polls as “you are either ill-prepared to meet Barisan Nasional or independent candidates or acknowledging you have flunked in fulfilling elections pledges.”