Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has maintained that the 15th General Election (GE15) should not be held until the public health situation has stabilised.
Since Malaysia will transition from the Covid-19 pandemic phase into endemicity on April 1, Khairy said it is proper to postpone matters that will complicate the country’s recovery process.
“We should wait first until the public health situation has stabilised.
“We (the country) will transition into the endemic phase (on April 1). However, as I said before, it is proper for us to postpone anything that could complicate the recovery process.
“And a general election is something that we can postpone until the public health situation has stabilised,” said the Rembau member of parliament, who is also the former Umno Youth chief.
He was asked to respond to the calls made by Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for the GE15 to be held early since the sentiments among the people is now in favour of the party.
Zahid also said GE15 will enable the party to broker a new deal to the people, who are longing for political stability.
Zahid had said that as a party that upholds the Federal Constitution, it understands that the authority to dissolve Parliament falls under the decision of the Cabinet, in which, the prime minister will advise and seek approval from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Khairy also thanked Zahid for leaving the dissolution of Parliament to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“He had said that although the party grassroots want to see the general election to be held early, he would leave the matter to the prime minister to decide.
“And I am sure, the prime minister will take into consideration several matters.
“Apart from the country’s recovery process, there is the Memorandum of Understanding (between the government) and the opposition. The prime minister will also seek the views from the Health Ministry on the public health situation of the country,” he said.