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FEDERAL lawmakers from both government and opposition benches are urging Malaysia to consider holding simultaneous general and state elections, as a packed electoral timetable threatens nearly 18 months of sustained political campaigning ahead of the next national polls.
Under the current mandate, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government can remain in office until November 2027.
However, the Melaka state assembly term expires this November, followed by Sarawak in February 2027 and Johor in April 2027, potentially resulting in a succession of staggered contests before the next general election.
Advocates of synchronised elections say clustering the polls into a single nationwide exercise would promote stability, reduce costs and limit prolonged political manoeuvring.
Hassan Abdul Karim (Pasir Gudang) said coordinated elections would provide clarity for voters and political parties alike.
“The voters would also benefit from greater focus and clarity, since all contests would take place simultaneously, while political parties would find their work easier with synchronised campaigns.
“Political manoeuvring would no longer drag on through repeated polls, and once this system is established, future elections could follow the same efficient pattern,” The Star reported him saying.
Hassan suggested that Putrajaya should begin discussions with state governments to agree on a common date, drawing comparisons with Indonesia’s model of concurrent elections.
Khoo Poay Tiong (Kota Melaka) also backed the proposal, warning that maintaining full-term tenures without coordination could result in five elections within 18 months, including the Melaka state election, the Sarawak state election, the Johor state election, the general election, and six additional state polls.
“During these 18 months, political actors will be largely preoccupied with elections, while investors are likely to defer investment decisions due to uncertainty.
“This would inconvenience multiple stakeholders and significantly waste time and resources,” he said.
UMNO supreme council member Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan (Pontian) described concurrent elections as sensible in principle but acknowledged the practical difficulty of aligning all state timelines.
“Right now, the public sees government and opposition leaders engaged in politics almost constantly, with only brief pauses in between.
“I believe the people want to see daily focus on the economy, education, skills, healthcare, employment, and investment, not politics dominating every moment,” he said.
PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (Kubang Kerian) argued that broader electoral reform should accompany any move towards synchronisation.
“Among them, the current first-past-the-post system should be reviewed. It is very unfair because the total votes obtained by each party do not reflect its actual representation in the Dewan Rakyat or the State Legislative Assembly.
“It is time for this system to be changed to one based on the percentage of votes obtained.”
He agreed that elections should be held simultaneously and that a fixed date would simplify administration and preparation.
Other MPs, including Mohd Sany Hamzan (Hulu Langat) and Khairil Nizam Khirudin (Jerantut), emphasised potential savings for the Election Commission and reduced logistical burdens for voters, particularly those who must travel long distances to cast their ballots.
Expert Opinion Divided
Political analysts remain split on whether concurrent elections would strengthen or weaken Malaysia’s democracy.
Political analyst Dr G. Manimaran described the proposal as worthy of serious consideration on grounds of cost and convenience, noting that six recent state elections alone cost nearly RM500 million.
“It is better to have joint and concurrent elections for Parliament and all states, not just Melaka and Johor.”
However, he cautioned that the timing of elections ultimately rests on political strategy, with parties calculating when conditions are most favourable.
Prof Datuk Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said alignment would likely require strong pressure from major parties, particularly Democratic Action Party (DAP), and the consent of the Prime Minister.
“Without top-level political agreement, such alignment is unlikely. A joint election offers advantages such as cost efficiency, higher voter turnout and medium-term political stability.
“However, it risks overshadowing state-specific issues and making outcomes overly dependent on national sentiment,” he said.
He added that holding elections separately allows voters to assess state administrations more independently, albeit at the cost of prolonged uncertainty.
Prof James Chin of the University of Tasmania’s Asia Institute took a firmer stance against synchronisation.
“It makes sense for Melaka, Johor and the federal elections to be held concurrently because they are closely linked. But in my personal opinion, it is a really bad idea.
“We should hold them separately to allow voters to choose freely,” he said.
Chin argued that voter behaviour often mirrors federal preferences at the state level when polls are held together, reducing split-ticket voting and potentially narrowing democratic choice.
“People often vote in similar patterns. If they choose a party federally, they are likely to support the same party at the state level.
“But when elections are held separately, voters may split their choices, backing one party federally and another at the state level, as was common in Penang years ago,” he said.
He dismissed arguments centred solely on cost savings.
“Malaysia already has a relatively long five-year interval between elections, compared to the three-to four-year terms common in many countries. We have a long gap, so cost should not be an issue.
“Electing the leadership of the country and the state is a serious matter,” he said.
As Malaysia approaches a dense electoral cycle, the debate underscores a broader tension between administrative efficiency and the preservation of distinct state-level mandates, with any decision likely to hinge less on logistics than on political consensus at the highest levels. - March 2, 2026