Parliament dissolves Saturday for GE14, announces PM Najib 
PUTRAJAYA, April 6 (Bernama) -- Parliament is to be dissolved tomorrow to pave the way for the 14th General Election, which is most likely to be held at the end of this month or in early May.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the dissolution at the Prime Minister's Office at the Perdana Putra Building here today, in a departure from the norm where the announcement and dissolution take place on the same day.
"I wish to inform all Malaysians that I have had an audience with the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, and sought the consent of His Majesty to have the 13th Parliament dissolved on Saturday, April 7, 2018," he said in his special address on the dissolution of the 13th Parliament.
The announcement on the dissolution of Parliament was broadcast live at noon over television and the Prime Minister's official Facebook account. With Najib at the announcement were Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Cabinet ministers.
A total of 14.9 million registered electors are eligible to vote in this general election based on the electoral rolls as at the fourth quarter of 2017. The Election Commission will determine the dates for nomination and polling.
Political observers predict that the election will be held at the end of this month or early next month before Muslims begin the Ramadan fast in the middle of May.
The Prime Minister also advised the heads of all the state governments to seek the consent of the Sultans and Yang Dipertuas Negeri to have their respective state assemblies dissolved, except in the case of Sarawak, so that the elections can be conducted simultaneously.
Najib said the dissolution of parliament reflected the commitment of the BN government to the process of parliamentary democracy that allowed for GE14 to be carried out in accordance with the law.
Emphasising that the power to choose the government was fully in the hands of the people, he said all quarters, especially the contesting parties, must understand that Malaysia practised an election system based on the number of seats won or first past the post and not on the popular vote.
Najib, who is BN chairman and Umno president, said that he, Ahmad Zahid and the other BN leaders would meet the people across the country to explain to and convince Malaysians about the BN manifesto and the plans BN had for the country.
"We have charted the manifesto and direction of the country with great care so that the voters will give us the mandate and opportunity once again to form a strong and stable government with a strong majority.
"With God's permission, if BN wins again, we pledge to do our best, better than before, by implementing an even bigger transformation, both inclusive and comprehensive, for the people and the country, "he said.
BN, which has administered the country for the past six decades, is expected to face stiff competition from the opposition parties which have grouped themselves as Pakatan Harapan.
Najib had described this general election as the 'father of all elections', all the more so because of the participation of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who has set his sights on making a comeback as the prime minister at the age of 93 if the opposition wins the election.
The mandate of the Najib-led BN government expires on June 24. In accordance with Article 55(4) of the Federal Constitution, a general election must be held within 60 days after the dissolution of Parliament.
A total of 222 parliamentary and 505 state seats are at stake in the coming general election to secure the mandate to administer the country which has 31.7 million people.
Sarawak held the state elections on May 7, 2016, and the BN won a huge mandate when it secured 72 of the 82 seats contested.
In GE13, BN won 133 parliamentary seats, DAP 38, PKR 30 and PAS 21. This composition changed following several by-elections and crossovers by several MPs.
At the time of the dissolution of Parliament, the BN held 132 seats, DAP, 36; PKR, 28; PAS, 13; Parti Amanah Negara, seven; Parti Warisan Sabah, two; Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), one each; and Independents, two.
After GE13, twelve by-elections were held due to the deaths and resignations of elected representatives " six for state seats and six for parliamentary seats.
The state seats were Kuala Besut, Terengganu; Sungai Limau, Kedah; Kajang, Selangor; Balingian, Sarawak; and Pengkalan Kubor and Chempaka in Kelantan while the parliamentary seats were Bukit Gelugor and Permatang Pauh in Penang; Teluk Intan and Kuala Kangsar in Perak; Rompin, Pahang; and Sungai Besar, Selangor.
The long-awaited GE14 is expected to see stiff competition between the BN and the loose opposition Pakatan Harapan pact of DAP, PKR and Amanah. The fate of PPBM, the fourth member of the pact, is in the balance after the Registrar of Societies slapped a temporary suspension order on it yesterday.
The RoS has given PPBM 30 days to comply with its instruction for the party to submit the minutes of its branch, divisional and central meetings as well as its financial statements, failing which the party will be dissolved.
Besides the traditional political adversaries of DAP and PKR, the BN will also have to contend with the third political bloc calling itself Gagasan Sejahtera and comprising PAS, Parti Ikatan Bangsa Malaysia (IKATAN) and several independents.
The political landscape of the country has undergone a significant change following the UMNO expulsions and split among the component parties of the Pakatan Rakyat pact formed by DAP, PAS and PKR which saw its demise in June 2015 and the birth of Pakatan Harapan.
-- BERNAMA
