Guan Eng insists Penang must vote this year

(MMO) – The state election must be held in 2016, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today after PKR maintained it was not convinced the polls were necessary.

The DAP secretary-general said PKR must make its decision soon in order for this to be possible.

“We won’t fix a time frame to make the decision but we won’t let it drag for too long,” he told a press conference at his office today.

He said he will meet with PKR leaders as soon as possible to convince them of the necessity for state polls to be called.

Lim insisted, however, that DAP will not make a unilateral decision by calling for state polls without agreement from its Pakatan Harapan allies.

“We will continue to discuss, but not for too long because it is not practical to drag it too long,” he said.

When asked if it the decision may not come this year, Lim insisted that it was untenable to leave it hanging for that long.

DAP has been pushing for state polls to be held but its Pakatan Harapan ally, PKR, remained unconvinced of the necessity for one to be held.

DAP said its other ally, Amanah that does not hold any seats in Penang, has agreed to the proposal.

Last night, PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said they will need to continue with discussions on this matter with DAP.

DAP holds 19 state seats in Penang, PKR 10 seats, PAS one and the remaining 10 are held by Barisan Nasional.