EC to meet on Feb 9 to set Johor election dates

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 24  --  The Election Commission (EC) will hold a special meeting on Feb 9 to fix the dates for the 15th Johor state election, said EC secretary Datuk Ikmalrudin Ishak.

In a statement today, he said the EC received the official notification on the dissolution of the 14th Johor State Legislative Assembly from the Johor Speaker yesterday.

According to Clause 4 of Article 23 Part Two, Johor State Constitution 1895, a state election must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly, he said.

Ikmalrudin said the special meeting would be chaired by EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh.

“The dates include those concerning the writ of election, nomination day, polling day, electoral rolls to be used and other preparations for conducting the election,” he added.

The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, last Saturday signed the order for the dissolution of the state assembly to pave the way for the snap state polls.

Before the dissolution, the Barisan Nasional (BN)-led state government held 28 seats - UMNO (14 seats), MIC (two), Bersatu (11), and PAS (one) - while Pakatan Harapan had 27 seats, with DAP holding 14 seats, PKR (seven) and Amanah (six).

The Kempas seat was left vacant following the death of its state assemblyman, former Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian of Bersatu, on Dec 21 last year.

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad said the snap polls were necessary for a strong and stable government to be formed to intensify development in Johor.

--BERNAMA