COMMENT | Separate state polls in Penang good for Harapan, DAP and rakyat

COMMENT | As Penang DAP, which helms the state government, tries to persuade the national party leadership to allow Penang to join Perak, Perlis and Pahang (instead of Selangor and the three PAS states) in having simultaneous federal-state elections, allow me to present the case for the six non-BN states to go full term (due June 25 - Aug 1 2023) instead of rushing for dissolution.

Penang DAP offers two arguments to join the BN states for early election: (a) based on party interest, ie, it is safer for Harapan to retain the Penang state government; (b) based on public interest, ie, that it is wasteful to have a separate state election.

Why a separate state election is good for Penang Harapan, DAP

1. Mid-term election effect

As voters' moods change by weeks if not by months, separate federal and state elections capture different moods of voters at different times. This is why...