KUCHING, Oct 22: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak holds that as the current Emergency will expire in February 2022, there is no need for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to take active steps to request the King to prematurely revoke it to allow the State Election to be held before the end of the year.
DAP Sarawak chief Chong Chieng Jen said Sarawak’s case is different from that of Melaka because Melaka is currently not subject to the Emergency and by the operation of the Federal Constitution, Melaka must hold its elections within 60 days following the dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative assembly.
“As for Sarawak, not only is Sarawak now amongst the States with the highest number of new Covid-19 infection cases (despite a huge reduction in testing done for the last one month), Sarawak has also recorded the second highest number of Covid-19 deaths per one million in population amongst the states in Malaysia.
“For the last two weeks, the national number of Covid deaths per one million people is 24. While Perlis has the highest number of deaths per one million people of 67, Sarawak ranks second, recording 57 death per million people, followed by Penang (41), Kelantan (33) and Perak (32),” said Chong in a statement today.
As for ICU utilisation, Chong who is also Kota Sentosa assemblyman said Sarawak tops the nation’s statistics by having a 79.8 per cent ICU utilisation rate.
“These figures are alarming and worrying. As the State government, the GPS should focus all its effort on managing the Covid-19 pandemic, and not on planning to bring forward the State Elections which will definitely increase the number of infection cases and deaths.
“We are talking about the lives of Sarawakians, which GPS should not take lightly. Do not put your political interests above the lives and health of Sarawakians,” said Chong.
He thus called on Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to put to rest all speculations about having elections before the expiry of the Emergency Ordinance in February 2022. — DayakDaily
