No need to rush into early polls, says Loke

DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook has stated that there is no urgency to hold an early general election as long as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim maintains majority support in Parliament. Addressing reporters after a DAP Wanita National Congress event, Loke emphasized that the unity government was established following an agreement reached after the 15th general election, which provides the current government with a five-year term.

He noted that there are still 15 months remaining in the present term, which should be dedicated to implementing reforms agreed upon by the Cabinet.

Loke reiterated DAP's stance that, provided the prime minister retains majority support, there is no reason to succumb to any pressure to dissolve Parliament. The DAP leader outlined several key reforms that the government intends to implement, including a separation of the attorney-general and public prosecutor roles and a two-term limit for the prime minister. These changes were approved by the Cabinet.

In contrast, Barisan Nasional chairman Ahmad Zahid Hamidi suggested that it would be more advantageous to schedule the next general election (GE16) earlier than waiting for Parliament to complete its full five-year mandate. However, he affirmed that the Umno-led coalition is prepared to support the government if Anwar chooses to serve out the entire term. Anwar, while open to considering an earlier GE16, stressed that the government remains focused on economic matters, public welfare, and combating corruption.