Sarawak state polls likely in November

12th Sarawak state elections is coming in November. -Stephen pic

MIRI: The 12th Sarawak state election is likely to be held in November.

Sources in GPS, the ruling coalition, said September was previously seen as a suitable time for the state polls, but November was now being favoured.

"It is going to be in November this year instead of September.

"We, in GPS, will wait for the national budget to be tabled first in Parliament (which is slated for October).

"The national Budget will contain plenty of goodies for Sarawak.

"We, in Sarawak, will then table our state budget. That State Budget will have plenty of goodies for Sarawakians.

"The dissolution of the State Assembly will then take place soon after.

"That will pave the way for the Election Commission to set the dates in November for nomination of candidates and balloting," said one source.

Regardless of the exact date for the polls, political parties in Sarawak are getting ready.

Sarawak is the only state that holds its state election separately from the parliamentary polls, with the current state assembly term only ending in June next year.

However, the uncertainties on the national political front may prompt Abang Johari and GPS to also call for state elections should a general election be called this year.

It would mean that Sarawak Pakatan Harapan parties (DAP, PKR and Amanah) would have a tougher task at hand.

Pakatan leaders at the federal level are already preoccupied with a lot of problems, not least of which over its candidate for prime minister.

Pakatan parties in Sarawak may have to handle the state elections in Sarawak using their own campaign resources. This would be advantageous to GPS.

Sarawak has 82 state constituencies and 31 parliamentary seats.

Out of the 82 state seats, GPS controls 68, while Sarawak DAP has seven, PKR had three but their three assemblymen left to join Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) who previously had four but now have seven.

PSB is an independent political grouping.