KUCHING: The Election Commission (EC) expects Negri Sembilan’s State Legislative Assembly Speaker Datuk Razak Mansor to notify the commission about the expiry of its (Assembly) term today.
State EC director Datu Takun Sunggah, when asked to comment on the issue yesterday, said EC would then meet to decide on the date for the state election.
However, he believed the Negeri Sembilan state election would be held together with the 13th general election as is the traditional practice for it would be too costly to hold separate elections.
“I believe the general election will be held within the next 60 days upon the expiry of the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly and not 60 days after Parliament expires on April 28, 2013.”
On a related issue, Takun said it was up to the EC to decide on the date of the general election and not based on recommendations from the government.
“It is the absolute freedom of the EC to decide on the date of the general election.”
After Negri Sembilan, other states whose state legislative assembly would be expiring soon are Pahang on April 7, Johor (April 20), Selangor (April 22), Perak (April 24) and Melaka (April 26).
The expiry date for Kelantan and Perlis is the same as Parliament’s.
As for Sabah, the expiry date is April 29, Penang (May 2), Kedah (May 2) and Terengganu (May 5).
Sarawak last held its state election in 2011, and the term of its current State Legislative Assembly expires on June 20, 2016.
Meanwhile, when asked whether EC headquarters had summoned him to Putrajaya for the 13th general election, Takun said he has not received any invitation as yet.
Speculation is rife that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is still undecided when to dissolve Parliament as he is presently busy with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2013 (Lima ‘13).