‘No state elections this year please’

THE Sarawak state elections should be postponed to avoid another Covid-19 crisis since the government has revoked the Emergency Ordinances, Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti) has urged.

“As the government had just announced the revocation of the Emergency Ordinances that were enforced since January, I am concerned that a state election will be called in 60 days.

“If the Sarawak state elections were to take place 60 days after August, we might be dealing with a new problem.

“Moreover, the Delta variant has also emerged in the country and even in Sibuti.

“So I hope everyone here will be able to give their views and reject a state election being called soon, because we prioritise the lives of Sarawakians,” he said after Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin briefed the House on the National Recovery Plan.

Chong Chieng Jen (PH-Stampin) interjected and asked whether Lukanisman agreed for a localised Emergency to be enforced in Sarawak in order to postpone the state election by up to six months.

Lukanisman said he agreed with the enforcement of a localised Emergency.

He added that many clusters had emerged in the country after the Sabah state elections last year.

“Even though our vaccination rate is good, we don’t want to open up the state for an election.

“However, if the Sarawak state elections were to proceed this year, there must be a thorough standard operating procedure by the Election Commission in order to curb Covid-19,” he said.

The Sarawak State Assembly is still in effect even though its five-year term expired on June 6 this year.

This was due to the Emergency Declaration that was enforced in January.