Cabinet advised King to proclaim state of emergency in Sarawak, says PMO

PETALING JAYA: The Cabinet agreed to advise the King to proclaim a state of emergency in Sarawak as soon as the current state of emergency ends on Aug 1, says the Prime Minister’s Office.

In a statement Saturday (July 31), the PMO said that the Cabinet agreed to this in a meeting on July 21.

“The Cabinet in its meeting on July 21 had agreed to advise the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to consent to an Emergency Proclamation in Sarawak as soon as the current state of emergency ends on Aug 1, 2021.

“In line with that, the King, upon discussion with the Sarawak government, had consented to declare an Emergency in Sarawak which will be effective between Aug 2, 2021 and Feb 2, 2022.

“The proclamation needs to be declared to postpone the state elections of the Sarawak Assembly to prevent a more serious transmission of Covid-19.

“With this proclamation, the state elections of the Sarawak assembly will not be held throughout the Emergency period, except if the Emergency is ended earlier,” said PMO.

In a Federal Gazette released on Friday (July 30) night on the Proclamation of Emergency in Sarawak, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong proclaimed that a grave emergency exists and that the Emergency extension is needed from Aug 2 to Feb 2, 2022.

The gazette said the state assembly was supposed to be dissolved on June 7 but this was suspended due to the nationwide state of emergency that took effect from Jan 12 and is scheduled to lapse on Aug 1.

If the state of emergency lapses, the Sarawak state elections must be held within 60 days from Aug 2.