By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 6: The Sarawak police contingent has not been notified to standby for the coming state election that is due in 2021, said newly minted state police commissioner Datuk Ramli Din.
“No, it (the state election) was not discussed,” Ramli told reporters after a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
Lately, the state election has been a hot topic due to the increasing possibility of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak-led state government calling for a snap election in view of the political uncertainty in Putrajaya, especially with regards to the succession plan between Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Speculation that the state election might be held sooner than 2021 had gained traction after GPS held its convention on Nov 16, where some 5,000 delegates from its four component parties of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS), Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) and Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) converged to discuss key issues on Sarawak rights.
However, the chief minister has continually refused to comment on such possibility.
Meanwhile, Ramli was thankful that the Sarawak government has announced a one-off RM500 bonus for all federal civil servants working in Sarawak.
“This is a recognition from the Sarawak government for the federal civil servants and this will lighten their financial burden a bit. So, we would like to record our sincere thanks to the Sarawak government,” he said.
The bonus will benefit some 95,000 Sarawak federal civil servants including more than 9,000 police personnel. — DayakDaily
