Kedah assembly to dissolve on June 28

Kedah ruler Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah has consented to the dissolution of the state assembly effective June 28 to pave the way for state polls.

Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said he was granted an audience by Sultan Sallehuddin yesterday to seek his consent for the dissolution of the state assembly.

"His Royal Highness gave his consent for the dissolution of the 14th Kedah state assembly on June 28, 2023," he told a press conference in Alor Setar.

Sanusi said the existing state government would act as a caretaker government until after the state election.

The Kedah state assembly will be dissolved six days before the expiry of its term on July 4.

The assembly sat for the first time on July 3, 2018 after the 14th general election (GE14) on May 9, 2018.

At GE14, Pakatan Harapan (PH) which contested using the PKR logo formed the Kedah government after winning 18 out of 36 state assembly seats, while PAS secured 15 seats and Barisan Nasional three.

In November 2018, Guar Chempedak assemblyman Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail announced his departure from Umno and became an independent before joining Bersatu, increasing PH's seat tally in the assembly to 19.

Bersatu subsequently left PH, and two PKR assemblymen announced they were leaving the party to become independent representatives on May 12, 2020.

Lunas assemblyman Azman Nasrudin and Sidam assemblyman Robert Ling Kui Ee also expressed their support for Perikatan Nasional (PN) and the leadership of then prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

This, coupled with the withdrawal of support by the four Bersatu assemblymen, meant that then menteri besar Mukhriz Mahathir had lost his majority support in the state legislative assembly. He announced his resignation on May 17, 2020.

PN then formed the state government with 23 seats, comprising PAS (15) and Bersatu (four) with the support of BN (two) and two independent representatives, namely the former PKR assemblymen. Sanusi took his oath of office on May 17, 2020.

Meanwhile, Mukhriz who is Jitra assemblyman, and Anak Bukit assemblyman Amiruddin Hamzah were dropped from Bersatu on May 28, 2020 and joined Pejuang which was founded by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Two former PKR assemblymen who became independents announced that they were joining Bersatu in September 2020.

Following GE15 last November and the formation of the federal government with the participation of BN, PN had 21 seats without the support of two BN assemblymen.

On Dec 18, Gurun assemblyman Johari Abdul of PKR announced that he was vacating the seat with immediate effect.

Belantek assemblyman Mohd Isa Shafie of PAS meanwhile died after suffering from a bacterial infection in the heart, lungs and kidneys on June 14.

In the Kedah state assembly, PN now has 20 seats (PAS-14, Bersatu-six), PH 10 (PKR-five, Amanah-three, DAP-two), BN two and Pejuang two, while the two seats left by Johari and Isa remain vacant.