PETALING JAYA: A Gabungan Parti Sarawak leader says the decision to dissolve Parliament and hold the general election (GE15) this year is justified in view of the economic recession that has been forecast for next year.
Santubong MP Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said it was time to return the mandate to the people to choose who they wanted to lead the country for the next five years.
“The general view is that the economy in 2023 will not be in favour of the government, especially at the end of the first quarter,” he told FMT.
“From my observation, no country in the world will want to go into a situation (holding a general election) where the state of the economy does not favour it.”
Wan Junaidi, who served as law minister in Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s Cabinet, also pointed out that many leaders around the world had already highlighted next year’s economic recession.
“I suspect Ismail is looking at this scenario. Therefore, it is better to return the mandate back to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) chairman Hajiji Noor said all component parties were united in facing GE15, adding that they have already reached several agreements – including using a common logo.
In a statement, the Sabah chief minister also said GRS’ election machinery at the state and parliamentary levels was ready to be activated.
Meanwhile, according to a report in The Borneo Post, Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian said Sarawakians “finally have a chance” to fight for what is rightfully theirs as per the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) now that GE15 is nearing.
He said these rights include education autonomy, having one-third of Parliament’s 222 seats set aside for Sabah and Sarawak, and a bigger share of the state’s “rightful financial allocations”.
He added that with ongoing global uncertainties, Malaysia needed a strong and stable government.
“We do not need three prime ministers in five years. Enough of the daily politics, division and hatred,” he said.
Earlier today, Ismail said Parliament would be dissolved today to pave the way for GE15.
He said the objective is to return the mandate to the people in view of the political instability in the country after three changes in administration in the span of two and a half years.
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/10/10/ge15-move-justified-with-looming-economic-recession-says-wan-junaidi/