Umno Supreme Council member Ahmad Maslan has proposed that the Melaka and Johor state elections be delayed in response to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has triggered a surge in global crude oil prices.
Ahmad Maslan stated that it is not prudent to hold elections during the current global economic climate, as the volatility is expected to impact the Malaysian public.
He suggested that state polls should only proceed once the international situation stabilizes.
The Johor Umno deputy chairman indicated that he intends to table this proposal during the Umno Supreme Council meeting scheduled for this Friday.
Prioritizing economic stability over polls
Ahmad Maslan emphasized that geopolitical developments of this nature directly affect the cost of living and the price of goods.
He argued that holding elections during such a period would be ill-timed.
The Pontian MP noted that his proposal is centered on ensuring that these international problems subside before the states return to the polls.
Previously, Ahmad Maslan had suggested that the Melaka and Johor state elections be held simultaneously. He believed this approach would be a more efficient way to manage costs.
Timeline and historical precedence
Currently, the Melaka and Johor state governments are led by Umno. The constitutional deadlines for their respective state elections are February and June 2027.
The proposal to postpone elections due to external crises has historical precedence in Malaysia.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, a state of emergency was declared in Sarawak to allow its 12th state assembly election to be postponed to mitigate the spread of the virus.
While that state of emergency was originally slated to last until February 2022, it was lifted in November 2021 after the health situation improved, eventually allowing the Sarawak polls to take place in December of that year.
