By Nur Ashikin Louis
SAMARAHAN, Nov 12: Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) vice president Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah opined that all Sarawakians have the right to vote in the State polls, regardless of their vaccination status.
“I believe the right to vote is universal. If some people are not vaccinated (against Covid-19), they should not be prohibited from voting.
“However, it is of course our hope that those who are not vaccinated yet would do so to ensure that those who have been vaccinated will feel safe when they are all queueing up during polling day,” he said.
He said this to reporters when presenting cheque compensations for ‘land whitening’ and expansion of an Islamic cemetery and infrastructure and telecommunication development in Kampung Sambir, Samarahan today.
Land whitening refers to the task of taking enforcement action on illegally occupied land.
Asked if he had any concerns about returning Sarawakian voters coming into the State, Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya incumbent explained that standard operating procedures (SOP) would be put in place for them.
“We have certain SOPs for those entering and exiting the State including Sarawakians who are returning from Peninsular Malaysia.
“If they are returning to the State to vote, they will still have to comply with the necessary requirements set by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) of which one of them is to have completed their vaccination. Therefore, that is not an issue,” he added. — DayakDaily
