DEMANDING a snap election now during the Covid-19 pandemic is irresponsible, Umno’s Ketereh MP Annuar Musa said, in a departure from other voices in the party who want the general election held within the first quarter of this year.

He is the second Umno minister after Khairy Jamaluddin to express concern on the irresponsibility of the demand, made by several party divisions at their respective annual meetings last weekend.

“Demanding an election be held at a time when the country and the people are struggling with Covid-19, floods and the economy reflects not just irresponsibility but hunger for power and insensitivity towards the people’s suffering. 

“It is not the wishes of the people,” Annuar, the Federal Territories minister, said on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Annuar was removed as Barisan Nasional secretary-general, purportedly acting against Umno’s interest by supporting continued cooperation with Bersatu and the Perikatan Nasional government.

The call for snap elections within the first the first quarter of this year was acknowledged by the Umno Supreme Council at its meeting on Wednesday and will be brought to the party’s annual general assembly on January 31 as a resolution.

On the same day as the Umno Supreme Council meeting, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also tweeted his disapproval for snap polls to be held before the pandemic is brought under control. 

“Those calling for GE before the pandemic is brought under control are irresponsible. And I know that among those asking for snap elections are those from my own party. Don’t be selfish,” the Rembau MP tweeted.

Khairy, who has been working to bring anti-Covid-19 vaccines to Malaysia, has been criticised on Twitter for double standards in supporting another demand by the Umno divisions that party MPs holding cabinet posts should withdraw from the Bersatu-led PN government by quitting their posts.

Khairy later tweeted his willingness to resign his minister’s post if instructed by Umno and his opposition to snap elections now, were two different matters. – January 8, 2021.