Azmin: No snap polls for Selangor

(MMO) – Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali dismissed today a suggestion that the state hold snap elections in light of the electoral redelineation exercise that allegedly benefits Umno.

National news agency Bernama reported Azmin as saying that he could not betray the mandate Selangor voters gave to Pakatan Rakyat in the 13th general election.

“There’s no need (for a snap election) because the mandate given by the people of Selangor in 2013 was quite big, and that mandate was for five years,” Azmin was quoted saying after a state government event in Shah Alam.

Azmin, who is also PKR deputy president, however said the Selangor state government would examine the Election Commission’s (EC) redelineation exercise before filing any objections.

He reportedly added that legal action would be taken if the redrawing of electoral boundaries went against set limits.

“We will examine it and this evening, I will meet with some lawyers to look at the possibility of taking legal action if there is space for that purpose,” Azmin was quoted saying.

DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang suggested earlier today that Selangor consider holding snap elections in light of the redelineation exercise that he described as having “butchered” the state’s map.

The Gelang Patah MP also claimed that the current redelineation exercise was aimed at helping Umno recapture Selangor, besides helping BN regain its two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Leaders from both Pakatan Harapan, as well as MCA and Gerakan, have expressed concern over the redelineation exercise, claiming that it exacerbated racial polarisation.

The EC, however, denied today claims that the redelineation exercise was meant to benefit any particular party.