KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 – Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak on Saturday aside the misconceptions about the power of people to hold the elections by saying the prerogative to call the elections. He said if the government now remain in power until mid-2018 or the end of the day this is located entirely on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“One assumption is that posed ‘people power’ will be decisive. The power of the people can decide who gets mandate to form a government through the ballot box. But the power of the people did not specify when the government step down. The Prime Minister and determine any action against it is considered as a ‘coup’,” he said in his blog sskeruak.blogspot.com.
The minister said the Westminster system of government, the prime minister has the prerogative as to when to hold the new elections. Salleh said if the prime minister does not dissolve the parliament to allow new elections are held, it is automatically dissolved parliament five years from the start of the session of Parliament and the election must be held within two months.
“The first session of Parliament shall be held within six months after the new government was formed. In other words, the first session of Parliament shall be held six months after the elections although the election should be held five years and two months after that. Thus, the prime minister can govern for five years and seven months or he can shorten his term and call elections after three years,” he said.
He explained that the four elections with the first general after the independence were held in the last five years and four the next general elections are held in four years. The ninth general elections held in the last five years and ten elections held in the past four years, followed by three general elections which were held respectively in the last five years, four years and five years.
