Kuala lumpur: DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke Siew Fook today reaffirmed the party’s support for holding simultaneous federal and state elections, citing it as a step to enhance efficiency and reduce election management costs. He emphasized that while the decision to dissolve Parliament rests solely with the Prime Minister, DAP, as a leading party in the government, would offer its perspective to help coordinate the dissolution should simultaneous elections be pursued.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Loke noted that several states are nearing the end of their terms-Melaka in December 2026, Sarawak in February 2027, and Johor in April 2027-creating a technical window to align state dissolutions with Parliament should an early dissolution be called. He stated that if simultaneous elections are to take place, Parliament would need to be dissolved in advance to allow for them.
Loke highlighted the practical and financial benefits of coordinating elections, particularly in Sarawak, where separate elections
would incur substantially higher costs. He expressed hope that this approach can be standardized and consolidated to reduce national expenditure.
On political cooperation for the upcoming election, Loke mentioned that discussions on the collaboration model are still ongoing. He assured that DAP will align its strategy with a consistent spirit of struggle, regardless of the arrangements or cooperation models. He noted that Johor DAP has a solid foundation to uphold, including the five parliamentary seats and 10 state assembly seats the party secured in the previous election.
Loke further stated that negotiations with Pakatan Harapan and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will continue to ensure the most effective formula is crafted to guarantee national stability, strengthen governance, and deliver benefits to the people. He stressed the importance of maintaining national stability, advancing state progress, and implementing the best decisions for the people.
Meanwhile, Johor DAP chairman Teo Nie Ching
announced in her speech that Wong Shu Qi, DAP assistant national secretary of publicity and Johor DAP deputy chairman, has been appointed as the Election Director for the 16th General Election and the Johor state election. Teo expressed confidence in Wong Shu Qi’s leadership and mentioned that she will be supported by Johor DAP secretary Andrew Chen Kah Eng, deputy chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, and committee member Liow Cai Tung.