PETALING JAYA: STAR president Jeffrey Kitingan says the spike in Covid-19 cases in Sabah yesterday highlighted the “grave danger” of holding the state election this month.
He said the movement of people would not be easy to manage on polling day and physical distancing would be difficult to enforce, warning of a possible “election cluster” after the polls.
“Polling will involve some 1.2 million Malaysians in Sabah who will have to queue to cast their votes.
“It would not come as a surprise, therefore, if there is an election cluster come mid-October,” he said in a statement today.
“Much of the blame will fall on both (caretaker chief minister) Shafie Apdal and the Sabah governor, who was unnecessarily dragged into this mess.
“The expected increase in Covid-19 cases will further burden the health department and stretch government resources as well as put frontliners and their families in danger.”
Kitingan slammed Shafie for advising the governor to dissolve the state assembly, saying the Warisan president had acted thoughtlessly and irresponsibly.
He also cast doubt on whether the Election Commission and other enforcement authorities would be able to ensure SOPs were adhered to during the election.
“Why certain Sabah leaders are even taking this chance in exposing the rakyat to this type of possibility is beyond comprehension,” he said.
“Trying to save a government that has collapsed is certainly not a good enough reason.”
Sabah recorded 50 new Covid-19 cases yesterday from the Benteng Lahad Datu cluster.
The cluster began when two undocumented migrants held at the Lahad Datu district police headquarters were found positive for Covid-19 on Aug 31 and were admitted to the Lahad Datu Hospital.
Within a week, 66 other tests turned up positive, including a prison officer and a relative. The others were all detainees. - FMT
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