Saturday, June 19, 2010

The PR states may do one on Najib to dampen his 'surprise' on the next GE

PAS central committee member Husam Musa today reminded Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that he does not have the sole prerogative over election dates.

This is because Pakatan Rakyat is governing four states and can also choose the date to dissolve the state assembly and call a state election, he said in his blog.

pas muktamar 55 husam musa 050609"We can announce the date of the next state election now, before Najib dissolves Parliament. The state polls need not be that early, but the announcement of the date can be," he said.

Husam (right) was responding to the premier's statement in Tumpat on Wednesday, stating that he wants the next election date to be a surprise.

This, the Kelantan exco member said, was a strategic weapon used by the ruling coalition to trap the opposition parties into contesting during a downturn, making it an unlevel playing field.

"If Najib can so confidently show that he is in command, then what can we do to make him think twice?.. How about calling a snap election in the four Pakatan-ruled states?" he asked.

Husam, who is also Salor state assemblyperson, said that by announcing the state election dates before Najib calls for a general election, the PM is left with two options.

'BN will no longer have the upper hand'

"(He) can follow us and set it on the same date or negotiate a date with us in advance in a more open manner. This will mean that the date will no longer be a riddle and (BN) will no longer have the upper hand.

"Otherwise, they can stubbornly dissolve the Parliament on a different date," he said.

Either way, he said, both outcomes will "set a precedence for election dates being set openly" instead of being "the weapon to the ruling party's advantage".

He added that state polls can be called in 2013, five years after the last election, or earlier in 2012, after four years.

Alternatively, the election date can be set for early 2012 to avoid too much politicking, he said.

"What's important is that Najib should know he is not the only one who can spring a surprise," he said defiantly.

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