A GENERAL election is unlikely to be called this year in view of the Covid-19 situation, said analysts.

“This is not the year for elections,” said Ilham Centre director Hisommudin Bakar.

“Voters are unlikely to come out to vote if it is held this year, with the high number of new infections and the emergence of new variants.”

With the national vaccination programme progressing slowly, Hisommudin said it was hard to envisage Malaysia achieving herd immunity by the end of the year.

Moreover, it is uncertain if the vaccines are effective against the new variants.

Malaysia reported 7,703 new infections yesterday for a total  82,274 active cases. There were 878 patients in intensive care, 441 of them requiring respiratory support.

The Covid-19 death toll grew by 126 to  2,993. 

As of June 1, 3.1 million people have received the jab, 1.1 million of them the full course of two doses.

As for registration, 12.41 million have signed up for the shots.

Putrajaya has made the best progress with 100% of its 67,667 residents inoculated, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 69.1% of 1.02 million people and 67.4% of 3.27 million people. Sabah and Kelantan are 19.07% and 34.75% vaccinated respectively.

Hisommudin said the political parties were showing no sign of preparing for elections.

“As far as we know, the political parties – Perikatan Nasional, Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan – have not even started seat negotiations or to prepare a manifesto.”

Typically, the seat negotiation process takes about six months, said Hisommudin.

International Islamic University of Malaysia’s Dr Lau Zhe Wei also believes there is little chance of polls being held this year.

“Perikatan Nasional is unlikely to want elections this year following the mess it has made of the pandemic. With the current problems, it will take time for it to change people’s perception of it,” he said. 

He said he was fairly confident Malaysians would not be heading to the polls in 2021, but did not want to hazard a guess as to when they would.

Hisommudin said the second half of 2022 was a good bet.

“The pandemic should be controlled by then and if the economy bounces back, there will be enough funds to hold a general election,” said Hisommudin.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is under intense pressure from PN ally Umno to call for snap polls.

He promised the people he would call for elections when the Covid crisis was over.

He has invoked emergency powers until August 1 to introduce virus containment measures without disruption, during which time parliament and state assemblies will be suspended.

Malaysia is in full lockdown for two weeks ending June 14.

Many believe the government will extending the emergency beyond the August 1 deadline. – June 3, 2021.