The question of whether to hold snap polls in Selangor will be raised at the next state Pakatan Harapan meeting.

Selangor Amanah chief Izham Hashim said there was some merit to the idea, as it could circumvent the ongoing redelineation exercise by the Election Commission (EC).

"I will bring up the matter for consideration... We have to discuss the implications and get views from the national leadership," Izham told Malaysiakini.

Harapan claimed that the redrawing of electoral boundaries would result in severe voter malapportionment and gerrymandering, which it says would favour BN.

Selangor, which has been battling the redelineation exercise in court, is especially affected.

While snap polls could give Harapan an advantage, Izham cautioned there were downsides as well.

"The moment you do a separate state election, BN will dump their entire army (election machinery, on Selangor)," he said.

No guarantee

Selangor PKR deputy chief Zuraida Kamaruddin expressed similar concerns.

"On one hand, we would avoid the treacherous redelineation, but it might not guarantee a win in a by-election situation," she said.

Zuraida (photo) added there had been informal discussions on snap polls in the past, but did not elaborate.

She said Harapan was confident they could retain Selangor even if the redelineation exercise proceeds.

This would not be the first time a snap election was on the cards for Selangor.

Previously, such a move was mooted after PAS severed ties with PKR last April.

Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali, however, rejected this notion, saying PAS would still remain in the state government to continue the mandate they received in 2013.

Selangor is one of three states not under BN's control and one that the ruling federal coalition is eager to recapture.

The opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat first won Selangor in the 2008 general elections.

Besides BN, PAS is also looking to wrest the state from its former Pakatan allies.