KJ: Gov’t weighs risks of triggering by-election amid support shift
FORMER health minister Khairy Jamaluddin noted that the government would tread cautiously to avoid triggering by-elections for seats held by six Bersatu MPs who have pledged their support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
However, he warned against the potential repercussions of such a move, fearing it could tarnish the government’s reputation if seats were lost.
Khairy suggested that the Speaker, a former PKR politician, would consider the political climate before making a decision highlighting the risk of losing parliamentary seats under the current circumstances.
“The Speaker has to make a decision or seek input from Parliament legal officers. However, the Speaker has the benefit of doubt; he is a former PKR politician and will gauge the political climate.
“If a by-election is held under the current circumstances, and if not all, at least five parliamentary seats are lost to Perikatan Nasional (PN), it would have a negative impact on governance,” he said.
Khairy also indicated that the government might adopt a wait-and-see approach particularly observing the outcome of the upcoming Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, which is not a PN stronghold.
“They will likely await the results of the Kuala Kubu Baru by-election, which was previously won comfortably by Pakatan Harapan (PH). They would hesitate to risk triggering a by-election if any setback occurred in that constituency.
