Why the rush to hold polls, ask Sarawak DAP leaders

 

Chong Chieng Jen (left) and Dr Kelvin Yii say an election now will expose Sarawakians to the risk of Covid-19 infection, while Ann Teo feels that it is a ‘deliberate attempt’ to disenfranchise young voters.

PETALING JAYA: The looming Sarawak election following today’s lifting of the Emergency in the state will see young voters lose out, a DAP leader said.

“The lifting of the Emergency just goes to show that Abang Jo (Sarawak chief minister Abang Johari Openg) desperately wants an election before the end of this year with the obvious reason of avoiding Undi18,” said Sarawak DAP chairman and Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen.

“My question to Abang Jo is this, ‘Is Undi18 scarier than Covid-19?’ Why does he want to risk the lives of Sarawakians and opt for an early election just to avoid Undi18?”

In September, the High Court in Kuching ordered the government to implement the Undi18 amendments by Dec 31 after allowing a legal challenge filed by five Sarawakian youths against the decision by the previous government, led by Muhyiddin Yassin, not to implement the amendments by July.

One of the amendments lowers the voting age from 21 to 18.

Election Commission (EC) secretary Ikmalrudin Ishak previously said the Sarawak state election must be held within 60 days from the date the emergency proclamation is revoked or annulled.

Originally set to end in February 2022, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong agreed to lift the Emergency in the state today after a request from Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud during an audience yesterday and a meeting with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today.

The election has been due since June when the state assembly was set to automatically dissolve.

Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, meanwhile, said the high ICU and death rates in Sarawak due to Covid-19 meant this was “not the best time” to hold an election.

Instead, Yii said, the government should be focusing on boosting the state’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“What is the rush, is it to avoid the Undi18 implementation?” he asked.

“There is no other reason for them to rush the election. They are clearly afraid of the youth vote and are intent on depriving them (the right) to vote in this election.”

Sarawak Bersih chairman Ann Teo felt that holding an early state election would be a “deliberate attempt” to disenfranchise young voters.

“Hopefully, the youths realise that this will prevent them the chance to vote for the future of their state,” said Teo, who is also the chairman of the NGO Rise of Social Efforts.

“New voters will be deprived of their democratic right to determine who should lead the state for the next five years.”

Meanwhile, Undi18, a group that has been pushing for the voting age to be lowered, said the eventual dissolution of the state assembly, following the lifting of the emergency would “disenfranchise 125,000 to 135,000 Sarawakian youth voters”.

The country, the NGO said, was still adapting to the Covid-19 recovery plan, while the implementation of Undi18 is scheduled to start early next year.

“It is therefore crucial for the government to reconsider any decision to have an election this year.” - FMT