MALACCA Pakatan Harapan (PH) today confirmed it has written to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah seeking a withdrawal of the decision to dissolve the Malacca state legislative assembly.

Its chairman, Adly Zahari, said the letter was delivered at 5.50pm today by Norhizam Hassan Baktee and Noor Effandi Ahmad, the former assemblymen for Pengkalan Batu and Telok Mas respectively.

“It was received by Istana Negara representative for royal matters Ahmad Hanafi Yahya,” Adly said when contacted by Bernama tonight.

He said the letter was sent to Istana Negara to seek the courtesy and wisdom of the king to advise Malacca Yang di-Pertua Negeri Mohd Ali Rustam to withdraw the decision dissolving the state legislative assembly on October 4.

He said the letter, among others, stated that in accordance with Article 8.2(b) of the Malacca State Constitution, Ali did not have the discretion to agree to Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali’s request to dissolve the state assembly.

He said it should have been avoided as it had now paved the way for a state election at a time when the country is still recovering from the Covid-19 epidemic, thus threatening the lives of the people and the country’s economy.

“The Yang di-Pertua Negeri should have held a meeting with all the 28 assemblymen to determine if there is a loss of majority support for the chief minister and a show of majority support for the assemblyman nominated by us, as stated in the Malacca State Constitution with regard to the appointment of a chief minister,” he said. 

“The process to determine the chief minister should not be done hastily, especially when the Yang di-Pertua Negeri was undergoing self-quarantine from September 30 to October 7.”

Adly said the letter was jointly signed by him, Norhizam and Noor Effandi as well as Idris Haron and Nor Azman Hassan, the former assemblymen for Sg Udang and Pantai Kundor respectively. 

The Election Commission received the official notification on the dissolution of the Malacca legislative assembly on October 4 from State Assembly Speaker Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Based on Article 19(4) of the Malacca State Constitution, a state election must be held within 60 days after the dissolution of the state assembly. – Bernama, October 7, 2021.