00:00A political analyst has proposed that Malaysia emulates Sweden's approach to snap elections by denying the newly elected administration a
00:08fresh five-year mandate.
00:10Zainal Abidin Sanusi of the International Islamic University Malaysia says the incoming government should only be allowed to serve the
00:18remainder of the outgoing administration's term in office.
00:22He said there was no need to ban snap elections outright as the removal of a full term in office
00:28would be sufficient to deter politically motivated dissolutions.
00:32Zainal is confident the proposal will win bipartisan support as it would bind all parties equally, just as the anti
00:39-hopping law passed in 2022 did.
00:42Zainal said Sweden's approach would avoid the problems of a fixed-term parliament, which does not allow for snap elections
00:49but risks leaving a government paralyzed.
00:53He cited the UK's experience with its Fixed-Term Parliament Act, which resulted in an impasse over Brexit in 2022.
01:00The law was eventually repealed.
01:03Spekulation over snap polls has grown amid tensions between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional, despite the next general election being
01:11only due in February 2028.
01:13Last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his government should be allowed to fulfill its mandate by completing a full
01:20five-year term in office.
01:22Romanda Wega Pari, FMT
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