GE15 should be held soon, says Umno deputy president

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan today said it would be appropriate for the 15th general election to be held in the near future in order to obtain a fresh mandate from the people.

Hasan, who is Barisan Nasional (BN) deputy chairman, said such a move would also provide the best chance for BN based on the people’s current sentiments towards the coalition.

He said he had conveyed the message to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob after BN won the Melaka state election yesterday.

“I spoke with the prime minister yesterday that we need to consider expediting GE15. Like it or not, we have to wait until next July because the agreement (memorandum of understanding between the government and the opposition) is until then.

“Even this we do not know because many lost badly in Melaka… it’s unsure whether they will withdraw because anything can happen in politics. The dynamics change every day and are not static. As such, it’s up to BN and Umno to conduct a review,” he told reporters in Seremban.

He said BN’s victory in Melaka had been a decision by the people who gave a clear sign of their desire for a stable government to provide for the well-being and prosperity of the state and country.

“That is the signal I am reading. I am thankful for the win but it is great trust placed in BN so that the new Melaka state government will practise good governance.

“I hope this is also the sentiment nationwide. I want to thank all of the Melaka people and voters for having faith in us,” he said.

In the state election, BN won 21 out of the 28 state legislative assembly seats while Pakatan Harapan (PH) won five seats and Perikatan Nasional (PN) two.

Mohamad said BN would conduct a post-mortem on Monday on the Melaka state election results, adding that Umno was still open to continuing its cooperation with PAS through Muafakat Nasional.