KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he may propose a date for dissolution of parliament in his meeting with the country’s monarch on Thursday, state media reported, as he faces calls to hold early elections this year.

A proposed date will be submitted to the king only if there was time, and the meeting was mainly about Cabinet matters, Ismail Sabri said, according to news agency Bernama.

An election is not due until September 2023, but Ismail Sabri is under pressure from some factions of his ruling coalition to hold the vote earlier for a stronger mandate and due to infighting.

His government is scheduled to table Budget 2023 in parliament on Friday, the Finance Ministry has said, putting to rest some speculation that a dissolution could be announced before then.

Ismail will meet the king at 4pm local time (0800 GMT) for his weekly audience, the prime minister’s spokesperson said earlier.

“It’s just a normal, routine meeting that the PM has with the king before the Cabinet meeting,” the spokesperson said.

They did not comment on whether Ismail would seek dissolution of parliament.

Last week, Ismail Sabri’s United Malays National Organisation (Umno) party, which forms the biggest component of the ruling coalition, said the premier will seek Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah’s consent to dissolve parliament this year, leading to speculation that Ismail could call for polls any day.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy and the king typically acts on the prime minister’s advice. But the king does have certain discretionary powers, including withholding consent for dissolution of the parliament.

There have been calls from the public, opposition and even some ruling party lawmakers to hold off from having an election at the end of the year due to the seasonal monsoon rains and floods.

Malaysia was hit with unusually heavy rain late last year and floods that caused around RM6 billion in damage.

The king visited the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre on Thursday morning and was briefed on weather conditions and flood preparation by various government agencies, Bernama reported.

The closed-door briefing was held at the request of the king, Bernama said.

Some Cabinet ministers have written to the monarch this week, requesting him not to hold elections this year due to flood risks, local media reported. — Reuters

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2022/10/06/pm-ismail-sabri-says-may-propose-early-election-during-meeting-with-king/32025