BUKIT MERTAJAM: Penang DAP has been reminded not to be complacent and to begin early preparations in case the 16th general election (GE16) and state elections are called simultaneously.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said next year could be critical, as the legislative assemblies of several states, including Johor, Melaka and Sarawak, will reach the end of their terms.
“If the prime minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) decides to hold GE16 simultaneously with the state elections, Parliament might need to be dissolved early.
“I didn’t say it will happen, but my duty is to remind the Penang leadership to be prepared for any possibility, even though the state’s term is still long,” he said at the Penang DAP annual convention attended by 696 delegates today.
Loke explained that unlike the previous general election, when Pakatan Harapan-led states held elections separately, the current situation requires a more coordinated strategy as both the federal and state governments are under the same administration.
He added that unity and party discipline remain vital to maintaining public trust in DAP in Penang.
“We are in a comfortable situation with a good record of administration, but we must not be complacent.
“Voters dislike it most when the party is not united. Penang DAP’s strength relies on unity,” he said.
He also urged party members to respect last year’s party elections and support Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim, who replaced Penang chief minister Chow Kon Yeow after he chose not to contest.
The Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional pact won 29 of the 40 seats contested in the Penang state election in 2023.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
