KUCHING, July 31: The 12th Sarawak Election can take place earlier than February 2022 with the Agong’s approval when 100 per cent of Malaysia’s adult populations have been vaccinated for herd immunity is reached by October this year.
While the Emergency is a must to ensure the people’s safety, Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secretary-general Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi emphasised that GPS and all Sarawakians hope for the better with the near success of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NCIP).
When herd immunity achieved in due time, he said many restrictions will be relaxed whereby the people’s lives and livelihoods will return to a semblance of normality in stages.
“When that happens, Yang di-Pertuan Agong may agree to end the Emergency earlier which allows the Sarawak State Election (PRN) to be held for the people in the State to exercise their rights in choosing and mandating GPS to government the State.
“GPS places full confidence in the wisdom of Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak (TYT) in this matter,” said Nanta in a statement today.
A Federal Gazette dated July 30 has extended the Emergency Order for Sarawak, effective from Aug 2, 2021 to Feb 2, 2022.
Following that, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) also released a statement to say that there will be no State polls in Sarawak until February 2022 unless the Emergency is terminated earlier.
Sarawak DUN was supposed to be dissolved June 7 after coming to the end of its term and elections are required to be held within 60 days, but a state of emergency covering Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah was declared from Jan 12 to Aug 1, thus suspending the polls.
Now that the Emergency is nearing its end and elections must be held by September, the King and Prime Minister have expressed concerns if allowing the State polls to take place would worsen the current Covid-19 situation.
The Emergency proclamation states that the King and Prime Minister are satisfied that “a grave emergency exists whereby the security, economic life and public order in the federation are threatened arising from the Covid-19 epidemic.
The proclamation said the suspension of the Sarawak state election is intended to prevent the further increase in the spread of the virus.— DayakDaily
