Malaysian PM dissolves Parliament, calls snap polls

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that Parliament will be dissolved, paving the way for general elections that are expected to be held in early November.

Yaakob said he met Sunday with King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who consented to the dissolution on Monday. He said he decided to call early polls amid criticism over the legitimacy of his government — the third since 2018 polls.

“With this announcement, the mandate will be returned to the people. The people’s mandate is a powerful antidote" to create a firm and stable government, Ismail said in a televised announcement.

The Election Commission is expected to meet within the week to announce a date for the vote, which must be held within 60 days from Parliament’s dissolution. 

It is likely to be held early November before the year-end monsoon season that often brings devastating floods.

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Return of ethnic Malay voters

The elections would come nine months before Parliament’s term expires, following calls for early polls from Ismail’s United Malays National Organization. 

UMNO, the biggest party in the ruling coalition, was feuding with its allies and is aiming for a big win on its own.

UMNO’s allies in the government and opposition parties have protested any plans to hold elections during the monsoon season, which last year killed more than 50 people and displaced thousands. 

But UMNO’s top leaders decided recently that polls must be called this year for UMNO to capitalise on the return of ethnic Malay voters and an opposition in disarray.

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