ALOR STAR: The state legislative assembly will be dissolved “one or two” days after the dissolution of Parliament to make way for the 14th General Election (GE14).
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said he would seek the consent of the Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, to dissolve the state assembly after the dissolution of Parliament.
“It will be done one or two days after the dissolution of Parliament. We are not in hurry because I will seek an audience with the Sultan of Kedah for consent to dissolve the state assembly,” he said, after chairing the state executive council meeting at Wisma Darulaman here today.
On his status as the menteri besar, Bashah said he would leave it to Datuk Seri Najib Razak as the Umno president and Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman.
“It is the prerogative of the prime minister as the BN chairman and Umno president. I will accept if he wants me to contest at state or federal level or even not contest at all,” he said.
Asked about rumours that several Kedah Umno leaders at the federal level were contesting state seats so that they could be appointed as his successor, Bashah said such speculation was part and parcel of politics.
“I will not respond to a hypothetical question because too many ‘what ifs’ have surfaced ahead of the general election. As far I am concerned, I will accept whatever decision made by the party leadership,” he said.
At the press conference, Bashah also announced that the state government had approved over RM290,000 allocation for special pay out to Community Rehabilitation (PDK) centres, their trainers and trainees in Kedah.
Bashah said each of the 42 PDK centres in the state which train disabled children would get the one-off RM500 handout from the state government.
"All the 332 trainers at the PDK centres in Kedah will receive RM300 each while each of the 1,468 children at these centres will be getting RM100 each.
"This one-off handout is meant to appreciate the trainers at the PDK centres and also our care for the special children," he said.
Bashah said the pay out would be distributed soon through the state Welfare Department.