Sarawak is able to proceed with the 12th state election, which is due next year, despite the country facing the Covid-19 pandemic, said Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg.
According to the chairperson of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, he expects his state to be able to carry out the election process smoothly, he said according to a report by Astro Awani.
"(However) if GPS can continue with its mandate, I don’t mind not holding a state election," he joked at the Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP) Convention in Kuching on Sunday.
Last week, Sarawak DAP chief Chong Chieng Jen urged Abang Johari to abandon the idea of holding the Sarawak state election within the next six months given the surge of Covid-19 cases in Sabah after it held elections on Sept 26.
Sabah recorded 451 new cases yesterday and has reported 38 fatalities in the last 10 days.
“The lesson learnt in the Sabah election is still as fresh in everyone’s minds as can be. Therefore, it is irresponsible of Abang Johari to even contemplate and suggest dissolving the Sarawak assembly and having elections this year,” Chong said in a statement.
Chong said the Sabah state election was inevitable due to the coup attempt by former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman, but for Sarawak, the current term for the government will only expire in June 2021, and there is no risk of anyone toppling the GPS administration through any “backdoor exercise”.
Therefore, he said, there is no necessity to rush into state elections for the moment.
Abang Johari today said that election matters are internal matters and do not involve the intervention of 'outsiders' but did not provide the actual date of the next election.
He said the mandate for the state government would end in June 2021 and when it reached maturity, the Sarawak state assembly would automatically be dissolved.
The state election should then be held within 60 days after its dissolution, he added. - Mkini
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