Adenan proposes April 30 for Sarawak polls to EC

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem has met with the Elections Commission (EC) to propose dates for the state polls.

According to sources, nominations has been proposed for April 18, with polling on April 30.

The dates, however, has to be finalised by the commission.

"It is for the EC to fix the date, not for me...it is still a proposal," he told Bernama tonight.

Adenan was speaking to reporters after launching an election seminar for the Satok state seat in Santubong.

When contacted by Bernama, EC chairperson said anyone can make suggestions on the date for the Sarawak state election.

However, he said polls can only be held within 60 days of the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.

"As long as the State Legislative Assembly has not been dissolved, the EC will not set the date of the election because the task concerning the election only begins after that (dissolution), including matters concerning the nomination date and the polling date," he said when contacted by the national news agency.

The current term of the Sarawak State Assembly expires on June 30, said the report.

Adenan can only propose

Meanwhile, according to DAP Sarawak chief Chong Chien Jien, the chief minister only has the power to dissolve the state assembly, not fix the nomination and polling dates.

"His announcement of the nomination and polling dates clearly shows that the so-called independence of the EC is only a farce; ultimately it is the PM (prime minister) or the CM (chief minister) who controls the EC," he told Malaysiakini.

Chong further opined that if the BN can control the EC, then it only confirms opposition allegations that the delineation exercise was done wholly for the benefit of the ruling party.

He also speculated that the proposed timing of the state elections may be to coincide with the culmination of the Bersih 4 trial involving him, slated to end in April.

"That may be the reason why the elections is not held in March, which was the widely speculated dates before," he alleged further.

Adenan took over from his predecessor Abdul Taib Mahmud who held the post for 33 years.

The 71-year-old has been making the right moves - including pressing federal for more autonomy for the state - and has garnered substantial support from Sarawakians.

In a survey conducted by Merdeka Centre last year, Adenan scored a whopping 74 percent approval rating on his performance as the state's fifth chief minister. -Mkini