POLLS watchdog Bersih said it was irresponsible to risk life and property loss to call for an election during the monsoon season.

It said that the decision by the government to dissolve parliament to call for an election was a dubious claim of achieving political stability.

“The authorities, including the Election Commission, may be forced to halt the 15th General Election (GE15) in areas affected, or if too many areas are affected, suspend it nationwide,” it said in a statement today.

“Bersih regrets that GE15 is called before Budget 2023 is passed. It’s an utter contempt to parliament by dangling the ‘candies’ of the budget before the public as election goodies of the PM’s party. The budget did not go through parliamentary debates to scrutinise Its merits and costs,” it added.

It said whichever parties that come to power will have to table the budget again, and warned that this may become a crisis point, resulting in the collapse of the new government if its budget is voted down by its coalition partners.

Bersih also said it praised the stand taken by six state governments ruled by Pakatan Harapan and PAS respectively not to simultaneously dissolve their state legislatures this year as they want to prioritise flood relief efforts.

Previously states controlled by PH, Selangor, Penang, Negri Sembilan and the PAS controlled states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah decided that they would announce a common dissolution date between June 25 and August 1 next year.

Bersih however urged voters to turn out to vote in the election, and asked the EC to immediately open up postal voting applications to all overseas Malaysians.

It said the EC must give absentee voting rights to East Malaysians living in the Peninsula, as well as West Malaysians living in the Borneo territories. 

“These measures could potentially enfranchise up to 2.5 millions eligible voters.”

Earlier today the Prime Minister announced the dissolution of parliament to make way for the general election.

He said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong has given his royal assent for the dissolution of the current parliament term, which was set to end in July.

He said this in a special address broadcasted live on television at 3pm.

A general election must be held within 60 days after the dissolution of parliament.

The EC has yet to announce when it would set the nomination and polling dates.

It is widely speculated that nominations would be held on October 22 and polling on November 5.

Malaysia is expected to be hit by the monsoon season in the middle of November. – October 10, 2022.