PH goes to court to challenge dissolution of Melaka state assembly

Pakatan Harapan (PH) today voiced dissatisfaction with the Election Commission’s (EC) announcement on the impending polls in Melaka, saying its division there would file for a court injunction regarding the dissolution of the state legislative assembly this week.

In a statement, it said a certificate of urgency had already been filed as part of efforts to expedite the matter, and that the Presidential Council fully supported the move by the state division.

“PH is of the view that the dissolution of the state legislative assembly was done based on the wrong advice,” said the statement, signed by PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, DAP’s Lim Guan Eng, Amanah’s Mohamad Sabu and Upko’s Wilfred Madius Tangau.

“The Melaka governor should have followed the lead at the federal level, where the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has called an audience with the bloc believed to possess the support of the majority.”

PH also maintained its stand that Sulaiman Md Ali should not have been named as caretaker chief minister since he had lost his majority support before the dissolution of the state assembly.

It likewise hit out at reports that EC chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh had said only those who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to vote, saying this might be in violation of Article 119 of the Federal Constitution.

“While PH fully supports the efforts to vaccinate everyone, this cannot be made into an excuse to discriminate against those who have yet to complete two doses,” it said.

The EC has denied the claim.

PH also said it was not the most appropriate time to hold a state election, given that Covid-19 infections had begun showing a downward trend and economic sectors were beginning to reopen.

“There are fears of a fourth wave of cases,” it said.

“We are also concerned that if an election is held, the SOPs for campaigns may give rise to a situation that is unfair or biased towards certain quarters.”