PN-led states likely to hold polls with GE16, says Sanusi

PETALING JAYA: The Perikatan Nasional-led states of Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perlis are expected to hold their state elections simultaneously with the 16th general election (GE16), says PAS election director Sanusi Nor.

Sanusi said this would ease the work of the coalition’s election machinery, allowing them to be more effective while also saving costs on holding the elections, Harian Metro reported.

The Kedah menteri besar added that the matter was discussed with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who agreed with PN’s plan.

“I asked him when the date would be, and he said that can be discussed,” Sanusi was quoted as saying.

The PAS-led states of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, as well as Pakatan Harapan-led states of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, did not hold their state elections concurrently with the 15th general election (GE15) in November 2022.

Instead, they held their state assembly elections in August 2023.

While there has been speculation of a snap GE16 later this year, Johor and Negeri Sembilan are holding their state elections on July 11 and Aug 1, respectively.

Sanusi confident of clean sweep in Kedah

Sanusi also expressed confidence that PAS and its allies would be able to make a clean sweep of all 36 state and 15 parliamentary seats in Kedah at the polls.

He said PAS will go all out to wrest the Sungai Petani parliamentary seat as well as the Kota Darul Aman, Bakar Arang and Sidam state seats from Pakatan Harapan.

He believed this would not be an impossible feat since PN did the same in Terengganu, winning every single parliamentary and state seat in the east coast state in GE15 and in the 2023 state election.

Currently, PN holds 14 of the 15 parliamentary seats in Kedah, and 33 of the 36 state seats.