SAPP: Conspiracy not to dissolve?

By Datuk Yong Teck Lee
To the gross disappointment of the people, both the BN and Pakatan governments have refused to dissolve their respective legislatures even though their political five-year term has expired on 8 March 2013. Granted that the law stipulates that the five year term commences on the date of the first sitting of the parliament or Legislative Assembly, politically, the five-year term has expired. The current situation in Malaysia, including in Sabah, whereby the Federal and State governments have stayed on beyond five years is unprecedented.

While the governing politicians of both BN and PR play games and plot on how to stay just a bit longer in power, the whole country is made to wait in suspense. It is general knowledge that many public activities, investment decisions and association activities have been put on hold pending the general elections. There are invisible costs and losses to the economy when the entire country is focused over a long period of time on its political conflict. The fatigue of waiting and waiting is causing a toll on the economy.

The current mid-term school holiday would have been a good week to hold the elections before Easter. If Selangor had gone ahead with its promise to dissolve its assembly after Chap Goh Mei last month, then pressure would have been put on the Prime Minister to summon enough courage to dissolve Parliament because he would have no choice. In any case, Selangor under Pakatan could have shown the lead and taken the moral high ground.

But as it is, even Selangor announced that its assembly would only be dissolved on April 22, a mere four days before the constitutional expiry of parliament. This made some people think whether there is a conspiracy between BN and PR not to hold elections until May or June this year.

What is BN waiting for? What is Pakatan waiting for? Let the people decide. Dissolve now.