Sarawak DAP: Push state polls to next year

 

Sarawak DAP secretary Alan Ling Sie Kiong has called for the Sarawak state election to be postponed to next year until the Covid-19 situation in the country is under control.

“The daily infection does not show any improvements. In fact, it is getting worse. In Sarawak, the cases are still high even though there were days we see the cases below 200,” said Ling, according to the Borneo Post.

Yesterday, Sarawak recorded 351 new cases while the national Covid-19 death toll is now at 7,241.

The senator said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) state government should not hold the state election this year even though the Sarawak state legislative assembly’s five-year term expired in June this year.

Thus far, the election has been postponed following the declaration of emergency until Aug 1 by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. When the emergency is lifted, the Sarawak state election must be called within 60 days, barring any special enactment which is what Ling (above) is calling for.

Apart from the high number of infections recorded daily, Ling said there is still a large number of the Sarawak population that have yet to be vaccinated, which is more reason to postpone the state election, he said.

Ling added that when the elections are finally held, DAP and its allies in the Pakatan Harapan coalition would be ready. - Mkini