Sarawak polls on the cards?

 

The Sarawak state election is now back on the cards after the government announced that it had revoked the emergency ordinances ahead of the expiry of the state of the emergency proclamation on Aug 1.

The revocation itself has been controversial as it did not go through Parliament, in a move the opposition claims is intended to avoid a vote due to the Perikatan Nasional government’s uncertainty majority.

Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen said with the revocation, the Sarawak polls must be called within 60 days from the revocation.

The government did not disclose the revocation until yesterday, claiming that it had already been done on July 21. However, this is yet to be published in the federal gazette.

The Sarawak State Legislative Assembly’s five-year term expired on June 7, after which the state election was supposed to be called within 60 days. However, this was suspended due to the emergency proclamation.

With the revocation of the emergency ordinances, the new deadline for the Sarawak polls is Sept 19.

Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen

Chong asked if the Sarawak government was consulted over the decision, considering the state is not yet ready for state polls amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said around 60 percent of the state’s population is not yet fully vaccinated and the vaccines were proving less effective against the raging Delta variant.

Chong suggested that a localised emergency be declared in Sarawak to postpone the state election.

The same method was used to delay past by-elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The federal and state governments must make sure that it is safe for all voters to vote before calling for the next Sarawak state election.

“Otherwise, the GPS state government would be guilty of putting the lives and health of Sarawakians at risk merely for the political expediency of GPS,” Chong added. - Mkini