In an informal survey conducted by Malay Mail Online, respondents pointed out that the 14th general election was just two years away.
Most also said there were no issues or problems in the state administration that required a step as major as a premature election to be conducted.
“Everything is fine here; it is not necessary at all to have state polls. Why can’t they just wait for the general elections?” Y.Z. Chan, 28, asked.
He said the corruption charges against Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng were not sufficient reason to dissolve the state assembly and impose an election on the public.
Another voter, Kelvin Teh, 34, similarly noted that the general election was nearly upon the country.
The next general election must be held no later than August 2018.
“The general election is coming soon, just do it at the same time like how it has always been like,” he said.
Another voter who asked to be name only as Gaya pointed out that an early state poll now did not mean Penang voters could sit out the next general election, as they would still have to vote for parliamentarians then.
Beyond the proximity to the next general election, some respondents also complained about the inconvenience of DAP inflicting snap polls upon them now.
The poll was initially styled as an opportunity for the public to gauge support for Lim amid his two corruption charges, and the absence of other plausible reasons caused some voters met by Malay Mail Online to react with annoyance.
According to 25-year-old Muhammad Yusuf Abdul Ghani, Lim could save the entire state the trouble by resigning or at least taking a leave of absence until his corruption charges are concluded.
With the next general election so close, he said an early election now would be a waste of public funds.
“The whole issue now is just because of his court case, so he might as well just resign, there is no need to get everyone of us involved,” he said.
Political analysts and observers contacted by Malay Mail Online previously said voters could sit out snap polls in Penang if they were unconvinced of its need, particularly those from out of state who will not bother with returning.
Lim was charged with abuse of power and corruption at the Penang High Court last month over the alleged approval of a rezoning application by Magnificent Emblem to convert agricultural land to residential and over his purchase of his RM2.8 million house from businesswoman Phang Li Koon at below market value of RM4.27 million.
The Penang chief minister has responded to calls for him to step down or aside during his corruption trial by saying he would leave the decision to the voters through the snap polls.
In the last few days, Lim is insisting that state elections should be held to “protect the people of Penang” as he is certain that he will be jailed.
DAP has not been able to proceed with its proposal as its Pakatan Harapan allies, primarily PKR, are unconvinced that there is any need for an early election.
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