PAS has decided that the states it controls will not be dissolving their assemblies to hold elections simultaneously with the general election, Abdul Hadi Awang said today. 

He said the PAS central committee, which met this morning, decided that the party would stand firm with its previous decision not to have state elections in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. 

“We stand firm with our decision not to dissolve the state assemblies of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah,” Hadi said in a statement. 

Previously, the party had said that these states would only be holding state elections next year as they want to concentrate on flood mitigation in the three states during the monsoon season. 

At the meeting, PAS also decided to strengthen its relationship within Perikatan Nasional (PN) to face the general election on the principles of Muslim unity. 

The party also will be finalising seat talks with its allies in PN. 

“All candidates listed from the respective states will be assessed by the party’s shura council,” said Hadi. 

The central committee’s decision today puts to rest talks that Terengganu was mulling to hold state elections at the same time as the general election. 

Sources told The Malaysian Insight that Terengganu PAS is mindful of the cost to be borne by voters who have to return twice to vote if the federal and state elections are held separately.

They also do not want to be blamed by the public if the cost of expenses is high, which is said to reach up to RM2 billion, if the elections are not held simultaneously.

Terengganu PAS is confident that having the elections simultaneously will give it an advantage to be elected again after wresting the state administration from Barisan Nasional in 2018. 

“This difference of opinion (in PAS) does not mean that we are not on the same direction. 

“Originally, the final decision had been set (to have no dissolution) as they didn’t expect the dissolution of parliament to happen so quickly.

“However, with some recent developments, Terengganu PAS feels there are many scenarios that need to be considered and taken into account if state and parliament elections are held separately,” said a source familiar with the state’s PAS internal discussions. 

The Election Commission is scheduled to meet October 20 to determine the general election date after the Agong agreed to dissolve parliament onMonday. – October 13, 2022.