Klang MP Charles Santiago said the move was orchestrated by Umno’s “court cluster” against the wishes of the people.
“What’s sad is that the prime minister has succumbed to it (dissolving Parliament) and not stood up for the interest of all Malaysians,” the DAP leader told FMT.
The “court cluster” refers to Umno leaders who are either on trial or have been convicted on charges such as criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering.
Santiago said these Umno leaders favoured an early election in order for them to “stay out of jail”.
With the Deepavali celebrations later this month, he said, it was insensitive and unjust to the Hindu community to have a nationwide poll coinciding with the religious celebration.
DAP central committee member Young Syefura Othman accused Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) of not caring about the fate of the rakyat, with the polls possibly set to be held during the monsoon season.
In a statement, she said Malaysians needed to teach BN a lesson for prioritising their own desires over the people’s interests.
“I urge Malaysians to punish Umno and BN’s arrogance. Let’s all go out in droves to defeat BN and Perikatan Nasional (PN), who tarnished our democracy with the Sheraton Move (in February 2020),” she said.
In a separate statement, DAP secretary-general Loke Siew Fook said the party’s election machinery will be mobilised immediately for the campaign period.
“DAP’s central executive committee will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow night to discuss the party’s preparations for GE15,” he said.
Loke said all DAP leaders and members will be deployed to campaign for Pakatan Harapan and win the people’s mandate to form the next federal government.
PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said the party will do its best in GE15.
“The important thing is that we try our best to bring Malaysia back on track,” he said in a tweet.
Ismail’s announcement that Parliament has been dissolved today means the nation will go to the polls within 60 days.
He maintained that the decision to dissolve Parliament is to return the mandate to the people in view of the political instability after three different administrations in the span of two-and-a-half years.
Umno has been pushing for GE15 to be held by the end of the year, but the party’s main rivals – PH and PN – are against it.