By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, Oct 4: DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen is urging Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg not to dissolve the Sarawak Legislative Assembly within the next six months to pave the way for a state election which is due by June 2021.
Chong who is the Kota Sentosa assemblyman believed that it is not a wise move to have a state election in the near term in view of the increased risk of Covid-19 in the country.
“While the country is now in the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, to hold the state elections now is to put at risk infection of thousands of election workers and helpers and millions of Sarawakians.
“This is the time to reduce, as much as possible, gatherings, meetings and unnecessary official duties with human contact.
“To dissolve the State Assembly and have a state election now will be doing the contrary.
“Surely, under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) situation, elections will favour the ruling parties.
“But in the interest and well-being of the people and thousands of government servants involved in running the elections, no government with a sensible mind will rush into elections at this time.
“Therefore, I call upon Abang Johari to abandon his idea of having the Sarawak Elections in the next six months,” the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak leader asserted in a statement today.
Chong noted the Sabah elections on Sept 26 were inevitable due to the attempted coup by former Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman to topple the Warisan-Plus government.
He added the Sarawak Legislative Assembly’s current term will only expire in June 2021 and there is no risk of anyone toppling the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government through any “backdoor exercise”.
Chong, who is also the Stampin MP pointed out the current state government still has more than nine months to go before its term expires.
Therefore, he opined that there is no need to rush the state into holding an election in the near future. — DayakDaily
