SHAH ALAM, El Sky News – AMANAH is deliberating whether to postpone its next leadership election, which is currently scheduled for 2026, the party’s president Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu confirmed today.
At the closing of the 2025 National Convention held at Shah Alam, Mohamad Sabu said a motion to either proceed with or delay the polls “will be discussed at the national meeting of the party.” He noted that AMANAH’s constitution includes a provision allowing for election postponement.
He added “Between those two (postpone or proceed with the election), we will discuss it because we also need to look at the election mood.”
Tensions at the Convention
Earlier on 8 November, during the party convention, several delegates pushed for an immediate debate on the motion to delay the election. The issue became one of the focal points of the convention’s second day, and the atmosphere briefly turned tense.
One delegate from Johor even proposed that the leadership election be postponed until after the next general election (GE16).
Clarification from Party Leadership
Despite the tension, party communications director Khalid Abdul Samad stated that no decision has yet been made regarding the postponement. He emphasised that the party leadership has not yet met to decide whether to amend the constitution or extend the current leadership’s term.
He further noted that:
“We don’t know when the general election will be held… according to the party constitution, the office term allows for the leadership to decide if postponement is necessary.”
Why It Matters
- The decision carries significance for AMANAH’s internal democracy and credibility. A postponement might be seen by some delegates as favouring the current leadership.
- The timing is critical as the party gears up for the next general election (GE16), and internal leadership continuity or change may affect its electoral strategy.
The debate reflects broader trends in Malaysian political parties being cautious about exhausting internal processes amid shifting electoral timelines.
