EC to decide on election dates today

The Election Commission (EC) will hold a special meeting at 10am today to decide on important dates for the 15th general election (GE15).

The meeting, to be chaired by EC chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh, will be held at Menara SPR.

The EC is scheduled to announce at noon the date for the issuing of the election writ, nomination day, early voting day, polling day and the electoral roll to be used for GE15.

The special meeting follows the dissolution of the 14th Parliament as announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Oct 10 after getting the consent of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.

The commission is also scheduled to announce important dates for the N66 Bugaya by-election in  Semporna, Sabah, which is expected to be held alongside GE15.
 
The Bugaya seat became vacant following the death of its incumbent Manis Muka Mohd Darah on Nov 17, 2020. However, the by-election was postponed due to the proclamation of emergency to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The EC was officially notified about the vacancy of the Bugaya state seat on Oct 12.

On Oct 7, Sultan Abdullah consented to the revocation of six ordinances and proclamations of emergency promulgated in 2020 preventing by-elections in Batu Sapi, Gerik and Bugaya amid the Covid-19 pandemic, effective Oct 6.

Following the dissolution of Parliament, Ismail had recommended that states, except Sabah, Sarawak, Melaka and Johor, which have not yet reached maturity, dissolve their respective assemblies to enable state and parliamentary elections to be held at the same time.

Sabah, Melaka, Sarawak and Johor held their state elections in September 2020, November 2021, December 2021 and March 2022 respectively.

However, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, which are under PAS, as well as Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan, under Pakatan Harapan, have said they will not dissolve their state assemblies. 

Only Perak, Pahang and Perlis have dissolved their assemblies to allow state elections to be held simultaneously with GE15.