Call for temporary political truce to decide on GE15 date - Expert

SHAH ALAM - All parties and leaders either from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional (PN) or even Pakatan Harapan (PH) should have a political truce and decide on the best time to hold the 15th General Elections (GE15).

This was important to enable leaders of political parties especially the MPs and State Assemblymen to give their full attention towards the efforts in helping the people affected by the rising of cost of living due to global inflation, price hikes and loan interest rates, among others.

Political analyst Professor Datuk Dr Mohammad Agus Yusoff said if given a choice, he hoped that GE15 will not happen in the near future because it was unlikely for any party coalition be it BN, PN or PH to gain the majority of at least 112 seats and take control of Putrajaya after GE15.

"I hope within the period of around a year before the Parliament reaches political stability in July 2023, all parties combined should strengthen their placement towards gaining the confidence of voters that they are the best party to form a government after GE15," he told Sinar Premium.

He said what was important now was that the government needed to prepare a policy to solve the issues faced by the people.

"Enough of being leaders living in a denial and looking away from the reality especially when the government shows data proving the economy is getting better.

"It does not matter how good it looks, the people are being affected by the stress and pressure of price hikes and the increase of the cost of living," he said.

Agus said he was of the view that BN and Umno were pushing the Prime Minister to dissolve the Parliament soon as they knew that PN and PH were at their weakest, thus giving them a chance to win majority seats.

He added that PN and PH have objected for GE15 to be held soon as they have predicted themselves losing many seats including the ones they were currently holding.

"However, they had to obey if GE15 would be held soon as the power to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve the Parliament is in the hands of Umno leader which is Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the Prime Minister," he said.

Agus said the situation may be different if PH and PN could negotiate to formulate a plan together soon.