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General Election This Year, Says Nik Aziz

KOTA BAHARU, Feb 18 (Bernama) - Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat says the general election will be held this year.

"The general election is drawing near, this year at the earliest or next year at the latest, but I don't think next year as Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (former deputy prime minister) can return to active politics," he said.

He was asked to comment on the statement by Prof Emeritus Dr Mohamed Ariff Abdul Kareem, Executive Director of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER), that now was the right time to dissolve Parliament to pave the way for the polls.

"If the economy is strong, why the kampung people are grumbling of rising prices of essential goods.

"Only people holding high positions in government and drawing big salaries and allowances are the ones telling the country's economy is strong," he told reporters after opening a sports meet for women here last night.

Nik Aziz, who is also Pas' spiritual adviser and Kelantan Pas Commissioner, nevertheless said the opposition party was ready for the general election, regardless of when it was held, just like the Barisan Nasional (BN).

Umno Youth said yesterday the Government should be given enough time to honour its last election pledges and to put the Ninth Malaysia Plan on track before fresh polls are held.

"If the election is called too early without the benefits of the projects reaching the people, voters might have doubts (about BN's pledges," said deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Shamsuddin said in Kuala Terengganu yesterday that he was ruling out the possibility of the Parliament being dissolved to make way for a snap general election as the country had just held its general election in 2004.

Labels: Malaysia, Nik Aziz, Pilihanraya