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Talks on elections, both at the federal and state levels, have been heating up in recent months
Johor and Negeri Sembilan are set to hold their state elections on 11 July and 1 August, respectively, the Electoral Commission (EC) announced today, 12 June.
In mid-May, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Pakatan Harapan (PH) was ready to sound the election drum if any party attempted to betray or undermine the coalition, reported the New Straits Times.
He added that the Madani government had never conspired to weaken or betray its allies throughout its three years in power, despite repeated provocations and political manoeuvres behind the scenes.
"But if the drums of war are being beaten and people want to start a war, we are ready and we will fight," he said.
Anwar, who is also PH chairperson, made the remarks amid reports last month that UMNO and its coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN), intended to contest all seats in Johor.
Over the past few weeks, several major political developments have also taken place, including the emergence of a new political alliance led by Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, which took over an existing party and rebranded it as Bersama.
PAS has also severed its political ties with Bersatu.
These developments are widely seen as part of broader preparations for the 16th General Election (GE16).
Political analysts have said that the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections will serve as key barometers of each party's strength and voter support ahead of GE16.
EC chairperson Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun (middle).
Image via Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya Malaysia – SPR (Facebook)Against this backdrop, here is a timeline showing the deadlines for each state legislative assembly and parliament to be dissolved ahead of the next elections:
Tip: Swipe left or right to view the full table.
| State | Last Election | Dissolution Date | Polling Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal (Dewan Rakyat) |
19 November 2022 GE15 |
Automatic: 19 December 2027 |
Latest by: 17 February 2028 |
| Johor | 12 March 2022 | Dissolved: 1 June 2026 |
Announced: 11 July 2026 Original deadline: June 2027 |
| Kedah | 12 August 2023 | Automatic: 25 September 2028 |
Latest by: 24 November 2028 |
| Kelantan | 12 August 2023 | Automatic: 5 September 2028 |
Latest by: 4 November 2028 |
| Melaka | 20 November 2021 | Automatic: 27 December 2026 |
Latest by: 25 February 2027 |
| Negeri Sembilan | 12 August 2023 | Dissolved: 5 June 2026 |
Announced: 1 August 2026 Original deadline: November 2028 |
| Pahang | 19 November 2022 Held with GE15 |
Automatic: 29 December 2027 |
Latest by: 27 February 2028 |
| Penang | 12 August 2023 | Automatic: 29 August 2028 |
Latest by: 28 October 2028 |
| Perak | 19 November 2022 Held with GE15 |
Automatic: 19 December 2027 |
Latest by: 17 February 2028 |
| Perlis | 19 November 2022 Held with GE15 |
Automatic: 19 December 2027 |
Latest by: 17 February 2028 |
| Sabah | 29 November 2025 | Automatic: 11 December 2030 |
Latest by: 9 February 2031 |
| Sarawak | 18 December 2021 | Automatic: 14 February 2027 |
Latest by: 15 April 2027 |
| Selangor | 12 August 2023 | Automatic: 19 September 2028 |
Latest by: 18 November 2028 |
| Terengganu | 12 August 2023 | Automatic: 24 September 2028 |
Latest by: 23 November 2028 |
In GE15, only Pahang, Perak, and Perlis held their state elections concurrently with the federal poll.
Sabah held its state election in November last year, while Melaka and Sarawak are the next states expected to go to the polls. Their state legislative assemblies are set to be automatically dissolved on 27 December 2026 and 14 February 2027, respectively.
