By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Feb 4: In order that the 12th Sarawak State election (PRN12) could be held before the current term expires in June 6, 2021, positive cases of Covid-19 must be manageable and that there is greenlight from both the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Election Commission (EC), said top Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders.
That is the opinion of Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) president Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Information chief Datuk Idris Buang.
For Masing, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, he pointed out that, what was crucial before PRN12 could be held is that the number of reported Covid-19 positive cases must not exceed two digits daily.
“Unless it is manageable and to be specific, with only two digits of reported Covid-19 positive cases per day, then only we can hold PRN12,” Masing told DayakDaily today.
He reiterated that Sarawakians must face the fact that Covid-19 will be there indefinitely but election has to be held as it is the hallmark of democracy.
“And we have seen this happened in other countries such as Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, Germany where the general election was held amidst Covid-19 pandemic. This is because a democratic country, we have to observe the democratic process because if we don’t, the opposition will accuse us of overstaying our terms.
“But of course I must reiterated here that, we can only hold our PRN12 provided that both MOH and EC must give us the greenlight,” he reiterated.
Masing asserted that as a democratic country, it was crucial to hold the election to choose which party has the mandate to rule.
“It doesn’t matter who wins in the election. Because as long as we have the election, only then do we have the mandate from the rakyat to administer the country,” he stressed.
On the same wavelength, Idris, who is also Muara Tuang Assemblyman stressed that, should PRN12 be held, strict standard operating procedures (SOP) must be put in place to avoid the spread of the corona virus.
“As far as I’m concerned, we must try to hold our election before the present term expire in June 6,2021. This is to ensure that we have the mandate of the people to administer the state,’ he said.
Idris said, if the State election were to be held, campaigns could be done visually.
“I have been reaching out to my constituents visually for the last one month and it is very interactive,” he said.
And recently, PBB vice-president and Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah agreed that for the PRN12 to be held, cases of Covid-19 must be under control, otherwise it could trigger a sudden surge as in the case of Sabah.
A significant increase of new Covid-19 cases originating from Sabah had been reported in the country after Sabah concluded their state polls last year.
The GPS leaders were commenting on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s assurance that his government will continue to focus on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic amidst criticism by certain quarters who continue to question the rationale for the imposition of Martial Law.
Muhyiddin has given his assurance today that as the head of Government, he would respect the system and the legal process of the country that is based on the system of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.
“I would like to reiterate my commitment that I will advise His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament as soon as the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic has subsided and the General Election is safe to be held.
“Meanwhile, I call on my friends from both the Government and the opposition, let us work together and mobilize our efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic regardless of our political differences,” Muhyiddin told the people through a live telecast aired by RTM today.
Based on the Sarawak Constitution, the state election must be held within 60 days after the dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN). The term of the current DUN ends on June 6, 2021 and the state election must be held on or before Aug 7, 2021. — DayakDaily
